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| Friday, 14 November 2003 |
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ITI promotes concept of 'Eat more rice in more ways' The Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) has now embarked on a program to promote the concept of "Eat more Rice in more ways" thus popularising Rice based products in the country. In August this year the Institute released a seven point strategy for better utilisation of rice. On August 28 a Display of Rice based products was held in the Institute auditorium in Colombo. The display brought into focus new products from rice and rice flour. These included bakery products (bread, rolls, biscuits, muffins and cookies), instant products (mixes for traditional foods such as hoppers, thosai, roti, string hoppers, pittu and dessert mixes), Pasta products (macaroni, spaghetti and noodles), Extrusion cooked products (snacks, breakfast cereals and complementary foods) as well as Ready to eat products (instant Rice, Rice flakes, muesli mix, granola bar and a deep fried Rice snack). The display that was well attended by bakery owners. Rice millers, Food processors and members of the public was patronised by Minister of Science and Technology Keheliya Rambukwella, Minister of Power and Energy Karu Jayasuriya and Minister of Irrigation and Mahaweli Development Gamini Jayawickrema Perera. Cost of Living Committee Following this display, much interest has been shown by the Cost of Living Committee headed by Karu Jayasuriya and a presentation was made by Director, ITI and subsequently a discussion was also held in September. A display of the rice based products is now scheduled at the Parliament MPs Restaurant, whilst discussions will continue with the Cost of Living Committee. Ministry of Defence and Prisons Department On September 19, a seminar and another display of these products were held at the ITI for the Ministry of Defence and the Prisons Department. Officials of the Sri Lanka Army, Navy and Air Force and the Commissioner General of Prisons participated in this program together with the Minister of Science and Technology. Subsequently, to promote the use of rice flour in bakery products, ITI officials made familiarisation visits to the bakeries of the Welikada Prison, the Sri Lanka Army Panagoda complex, the Sri Lanka Air Force Base at Katunayake and the Sri Lanka Navy Regiment at Welisara. Demonstrations on the use of rice flour for bakery products had already been carried out at the bakeries of the Welikada Prison and the Army bakery at Panagoda and will be carried out soon at Katunayake and Welisara as well. ITI has suggested improvement of the Prison bakery and will provide similar suggestions to all other bakeries, provide advice for the diversification of the rice flour based product range as well as supply information on specifications and suppliers of rice flour. The ITI is hopeful that this initiative will lead to the entire Prisons Department and the Forces using rice flour based products in the near future. A display of the products has also been held for the Ministry of Trade and Commerce. Mahaweli Authority In response to a request of the Mahaweli Authority, following the visit of Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, a workshop on the use of rice flour for bakery products was conducted by ITI for 40 bakers in Embilipitiya on September 21. Bakery workshops Another workshop for bakery owners was held on October 30, at the ITI to fulfil the requests made by several bakers in the country. Other provincial programs have also been planned and will be conducted in collaboration with the Ministry of Science and Technology. Rice millers and Bakery owners A meeting was held with rice millers and bakery owners to determine possibilities and problems of supply of rice flour and questionnaires sent out to the five major rice millers for availability of the rice flour. Mixed rice flour and wheat flour, bag quantities and prices. This information is now being received and is considered an important step in the popularisation program as adequate quantities of rice flour of the correct specifications have to be available in unlimited quantity if the program is to be sustained. The lack of adequate quantities of rice flour was one of the major drawbacks when a similar popularisation program was undertaken by the ITI (then CISIR) in the mid 1990s. Since then rice millers have purchased imported machinery that can produce rice flour of the required specifications in unlimited quantity. In 2002, the country spent Rs. 12,427 million to import 993,000 MT of wheat flour. Of this approximately 60% (595,800 MT) was used for bakery products with these products being exclusively made out of wheat flour. The ITI strategy and work carried out in relation to the bakery products is to substitute 10% of this wheat flour with rice flour, which will incur a saving of more than Rs. 700 million annually. Substitution of rice for maize in Thriposha The ITI seven point strategy for the better utilisation of rice in Sri Lanka also emphasized the possibility of substitution of rice for Maize in Thriposha. At present the Ministry of Health freely distributes the complementary food Thriposha for undernourished infants and pregnant and lactating mothers. |
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