COOPED to deliver essential goods

Hathoon Sheriffdeen

PLANS: Sri Lanka Consumer Co-operative Society's Federation Ltd (COOPED) has made major plans for 2007. As per the budget, 100 supermarkets will be opened around the island this year. "We are planning to open small sector supermarkets islandwide collaborating with the Multi-Purpose Co-operative Shops.

Our target for 2007 is 100 small scale supermarkets around the country, Chairman COOPED U. K. D. Palitha Rohana said.

COOPED's activities on distribution of essential items will be increased in various ways.

As per the budget it will increase the variety of goods available in the budget shops and co-operatives around the country. It is also now concerned about the hygienic factor of the food items and has formed a packing department under the roof of Cooped.

"We are in process of importing essential items from Indian co-operative sector and the private sector of India. We are planning to sign a MOU with Indian Government in early 2007.

"This will enable COOPED to import large-scale imports on a marginal price compared to last year", General Manager, COOPED D. S. K. Pathirana said.

"The packing department under the roof of COOPED is also forecasting to increase its packaging scale in 2007. Last year we were the main packing agents for all the Lak Sathosa around the country. We are the suppliers of sugar, rice, rice flour, green gram, dhal, and wheat flour to Lak Sathosa too.

"We supply 10 million metric tonnes per month.

"Apart from this we provide packaging services to Cargills supermarkets and Arpico under this department" Pathirana said.

Distribution of commodities to North and East will be continued this year also.

This will be on the direction of the Government and the Commissioner of Essential Goods.