Bouquet to ITI

Introduction

We reproduce herewith excerpts from a concept paper published by the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) some time back on the research and hard work by them on the manufacture of bread and bakery products from rice flour.

We have imported 800,000 tons of wheat flour in 2006 and we have grown 900,000 hectares of rice which is our stable main food. We have been grooming and looking after the farmers of Brazil, USA and any other countries and not our farmers, who we should have a bounden duty to look after.

We have inaugurated the project recently at Malabe, Cherry Bakery, with the participation of Minister Chandasena and 'Mauki' Environmental Agent. The response we have received is tremendous. The Minister has started a self-employment project in Embilipitiya and Polonnaruwa to help the projets and the youngsters.

On September 21 the Ministry of Trade commenced a programme to educate the bakers and public. On September 26 Minister of Scientific Affairs and the Chairman, Lake House will participate in a project initiated by Lake House employees to promote this project. ITI will make a presentation at this project based on their research.

It is heartening to note that ITI has given green light for the project by ascertaining and confirming that bakery products out of rice flour is a reality and the products will be of higher standard and easily consumable. This is very encouraging.

This is a commencement of a new era of modern rice eating in a modern way with the help of modern technology. While reproducing the article below, we take this opportunity to thank the ITI and the staff, again and again, for the initiative taken. We also request them to help us to take this to the ground level and also, to expand in a large-scale.

We take this opportunity to request the scientists, entrepreneurs and the people at large to communicate with us in this project by providing us information, encouragement, suggestions, and assistance.

Value-added food products from rice

"Rice is the major food grain grown in about 900,000 hectares, and is the staple food of Sri Lanka. It has recorded production levels of about 2.5 mn mt during high harvests, such as the Maha season of 2006.

The on-going peace process, favourable climatic conditions with efforts to increase the number of bushels per acre and government's concerted efforts to encourage the farmers by providing the fertiliser subsidy are the main reasons responsible for the bumper paddy harvest this year.

"The present per capita consumption of cereal based foods in Sri Lanka is about 150 kg. Of this the per capita rice consumption amounts to 100 kg while the balance 50 kg is met by wheat imports. Wheat imports for the year 2006 has been about 800,000 mt amounting to a drain of large sums of foreign exchange amounting to about Rs. 17 bn. Bread and other bakery items made out of wheat flour are very popular in Sri Lanka due to their ready availability and convenience.

"In 2002, when the country almost attained self-sufficiency in rice but lacked adequate storage space the then Minister of Science and Technology Keheliya Rambukwella together with ITI scientists embarked on a accelerated programme to introduce rice based food products to the local market. The ITI even came out with an eight point strategy to utilise the excess rice in a more effective manner.

"Now again in 2006 the country is faced with the situation where paddy farmers find it difficult to sell their produce. Has Sri Lanka really attained self-sufficiency in their staple diet? The per capita consumption of cereals as a staple diet of Sri Lanka is 150 kg. The per capita consumption of rice is only 100 kg, the rest being supplied by bread which is made out of imported wheat flour.

For the knowledge of the general public we wish to point out that bread and other bakery items cannot be prepared only with indigenous flour since they lack the required protein-gluten, which is only present in wheat flour, and which is responsible for the spongy nature of the bread.

The onus is then on the government, to take necessary practical measures through policy decisions such as providing incentives and subsidies, waiving off duties, and whatever other means necessary to encourage the use of rice in the local food industry. What is only too apparent is, not that scientists are oblivious to pressing national issues, but that they are powerless unless they are supported by the government policy-making bodies."

News flash

Consumer Affairs Authority Chairman Sarath Wijesinghe has held several rounds of discussions with the Industrial Technical Institute and Sri Lanka Bureau of Standards on many matters of mutual interest, most specifically in the manufacture of rice flour.

The project commenced on August 30, 2006 at Malabe with the help of Minister Chandrasena. We have been very successful. There is a response from all over the country supporting and assisting in this project for which the CAA is acting as a facilitator and a catalyst. The CAA has organised demonstrations, workshops and self-employment projects in Colombo and all over the country.

The CAA is taking measures to urge to make proposals to the Government and to the respective Ministries and Departments to centralise and accelerate this project in view of future bumper harvest and also highlight the problems that the paddy farmers are expected to face in time to come.

It is also heartening to note that a number of nutritionists, academics, scientists and well-wishers have pledged to support us, and we request them to communicate with us on the following numbers:

2399146/2393577/2445897/2393495,

Fax 2399148