A heavy green harvest from leaves

Irangika Range

It took patience, commitment and hard work, a for young woman to attain the zenith of her career creating a new dimension in hygienically packed instant green leaves and other edible products.

She is Janakidevi Kathriarachchi, proprietor, Tree Star Farm, Piliyandala. She has been able to achieve many accolades in her business life introducing 100 percent organic, fresh and healthily processed cut green leaves and vegetables for the first time in Sri Lanka. She was conferred the gold award at the Women Entrepreneur of the Year 2006 under the medium investment category by the Women's Chamber of Industries and Commerce on account of her performances.

At the time when she was assisting her husband's business of growing mushrooms, she realised much potential lay in introducing hygienically-processed and cut instant green leaves to the local market due to the busy schedule of today's housewives. She came up with the idea to offer instant products as a good answer to housewives' problem.

She struggled for six months by visiting many government research and scientific organisations to find the technology for processing and preserving of green leaves, following high quality, hygienic and healthy methods.

Eventhough she got many negative responses and disappointments at these places, she never gave up her idea. Determined to achieve what she wished on she spent a lot of money for lab testing and research in many private organisations.

Finally she was able to overcome the challenge, finding a new hygienic technology to preserve food items without using chemicals. Initially she had got involved in providing hygienically-cut and packed instant gotukola under the Three Star brand in her new production room which was built in Piliyandala investing around Rs.6 million.

"At the beginning, it was not difficult to capture the market for my new product because our mushrooms had created a good name among customers of Supermarkets. She supplied instant gotukola to Park and Shop and Bairaha Super Market and her productivity was 100 packets per day.

Kathriarachchi said at the beginning, she purchased green leaves from suppliers. Later she stopped purchasing due to the low quality.

She purchased a seven-acre plot of land in Kesbewa to grow green leaves by utilising 100 percent organic fertiliser to provide customers a nutritious and natural fast food for a healthy life. Gotukola, Kankun, Mukunuwanna and other edible items have been cultivated under the supervision of the Agriculture Department and 10 people frequently got involved in daily activities on the farm. The harvest is transported from farm to factory by vehicle.

Greenleaves are sorted out and cleaned by removing smashed, crushed items and by separating unnecessary elements to preserve the high quality in products. After the sorting, green leaves are washed by utilising international by recognised antibacterial chemicals in air-conditioned rooms. Then washed items are cut, packed and transported to the supermarkets in special vehicles.

Kathriarachchi said that she produces 2000 packets per day and serves every good Supermarket network including Cargills, Arpico, Keells, Centra and Kings in Colombo and Gampaha districts. Sri Lanka Institute of Standards awarded her a GMP (Goods Manufacturing Practices) certificate which is a good recommendation her high quality, healthy, neutrality and natural foods.

With the high demand for her hygienically instant green leaves, she has started packing instant mixed vegetables, which are utilized to prepare soup, noodles and rice. The market grabbed this concept soon and it has a good demand now. She has also commenced packing herbal porridge (Kola kenda) and it also has a good demand. She will open a new trade stall to sell Kola Kenda drink at the University of Sri Jayawardanapura in the near future. Diversifying her hygienically instant products, she has introduced "polos", "polos malluma", lotus root, kohila stem, kekatiya to supermarkets.

Kathriarachchi has purchased a 10-acre plot of land to cultivate green leaves focusing to provide the export market. This is a new concept because we utilise only organic fertiliser to make 100 percent organic foods.

Four cows are reared to collect their dung to make compost. She has also cultivated grass to provide 100 percent chemical free grasses for cow. "We are in the process of obtaining organic certification and it is hard work and should be committed to make sure everything for 100 percent organic.

We have already finished land processing mixing compost with soil. Though Sri Lanka does not have good demand for organic foods, there is much potential in the international market. Maldives and European countries have already pledged to provide orders to supply 100 percent organic hygienically instant green leaves," she said.

She has an idea to set up trade stalls to sell her products in the country. She has also planned to grow fruits in her own land in Chilaw. Customer confidence is a major success of her business and she is very keen to maintain high quality in her productivity on buyer requirements by dedicating more energy, time and money to offer the best products for them.

She always gives priority to her employees' capabilities and she pays commissions in addition to the salary, meals and accommodation to each employee.

She is a past pupil of Piliyandala Central College. She is really happy about her business.

Though I have faced many challenges and difficulties I am really satisfied about my business today. I have been able to achieve a lot today and with the support of my family I was able to run my business successfully.

My husband Sujeewa Balasuriya handles the mushroom business and looks after all cultivations. He is my driving force by helping and advising me to achieve the successes," she said.

She has two daughters and one son. They have understood me very well and give me all the strength to become a success in life. I always give priority to my family values and as a mother, wife and businesswoman. I am able to balance my time understanding my responsibilities well," she said.