Helping hand for rice flour food makers

Irangika Range

COLOMBO: The Agriculture Development Ministry is facilitating entrepreneurs who manufacture and popularise rice flour based products.

The Ministry also implements various strategies and projects to popularise rice flour based products targeting the restriction of wheat flour imports.

Speaking at a programme organised by the Post Harvest Technology Institute (PHTI) on popularising rice flour based products among rice mill owners and businessmen in Colombo, Minister Chamal Rajapaksa said the need to increase rice flour consumption has been acutely felt with the bumper harvest of paddy in the past couple of years.

With the objective of popularising locally manufactured food including rice flour based food, other indigenous foods and natural drinks, the Ministry will open new food outlets in Narahenpita in January.

"This is a good opportunity for the customer to purchase high quality and hygienic local foods and drinks at reasonable prices," the Minister said. This would help local manufacturers and farmers in solving their marketing problems.

Rice flour is nutritious and a good substitute for wheat flour.

The PHTI provides manufacturing technology to entrepreneurs while education and awareness programmes are being conducted islandwide. The PHTI has invented highly efficient and affordable machinery to manufacture high standard rice flour. Rice flour products are already popular among the estate people.

The PHTI in collaboration with the Industrial Development Board is introducing this new technology to invite new investors to manufacture rice flour based products. The red rice noodles business is thriving with several manufacturers in the fray.