Business Advertorial

Hayleys Agro wins top honours for salutary role in agriculture

The Hayleys Group’s well-established role and continuing investments in ‘Helping Sri Lanka Grow’ have been emphatically recognised once again at the National Agribusiness Council’s Agri-Business Awards.

Hayleys Agro Products Ltd., (HAPL), the Group’s total solutions provider to the local agri-inputs sector was awarded three Gold awards and a Silver award at the 2007 Ag-Biz awards in the ‘Large’ category for Seeds and Planting Materials, Machinery and Agricultural Equipment, Livestock and Veterinary Supplies and Fertiliser and Agrochemicals in an impressive endorsement by peer companies and associations in the sector.

“The commitment of Hayleys to agriculture has been strengthened and a strong common platform is being set up to invest in a new generation of agriculture even as the group builds on its traditional role,” said Managing Director of HAPL Rizvi Zaheed. These awards are greatly encouraging in that context, as they recognise the all-encompassing nature of our involvement.”

HAPL’s products range from crop protection chemicals — insecticides, fungicides and weedicides to vegetable seeds, seed paddy and seed potatoes, fertilizer, agri equipment including sprayers, tractors, combine harvesters and threshers, micro irrigation systems and animal health products including antibiotics, biologicals, feed additives and veterinary pharmaceuticals.

Marketed under a one-stop concept, the company’s products are widely available in over 90 per cent of agricultural outlets in the country.

Zaheed said, the company plays in providing extension services to farmers supporting outgrower programmes, adding to the body of knowledge in agriculture through adaptative research and its new investments in plant biotechnology to improve yields and productivity.

This is possible because Hayleys Agro Products has the advantage of being commercially involved in virtually every stage of the life cycle of agro produce from producing seeds to the export of processed produce, giving the company a unique profile in the agriculture sector, and enabling it to add value at many points and in many aspects, he explained.

“Hayleys is bringing value to all its customers in the agriculture sector through the coming together of all the synergies at its disposal and supporting these efforts with a large core of strategies in extension services that cover soil technology, planting practices, seed materials, markets and marketing,” Zaheed added.

Services of Matara Sanasa Banks lauded

P. P. G. Sugathadasa, Thihagoda Group Corr.

Sanasa Banks have contributed to a greater extent to uplift the economy of the country. Membership of the Sanasa Banks in the Matara district has raised up to 70,000, said General Manager, District Sanasa Union, Matara, S. Senan- ayake. Number of rural Sanasa Banks in the Matara district would be 470.

Sanasa Movement in Sri Lanka has been very popular among the rural community since the welfare and well-being of its membership is constantly sought, Senanayake said. The most significant achievements are the formulation and implementation of urban and rural economic promotional programmes countrywide for the benefit of its membership.

Divisional Sanasa Offices have already been set up at Divisional Secretariats in the Matara district. New programmes have also been launched for the purpose of reactivating inactive Sanasa banks with poor performances. In addition measures also have been initiated to strengthen the management of Sanasa banks in the district, he said.

Woes of Tissamaharama small scale jewellers

Raja Waidyasekera Tissamaharama special corr.

The small scale jewellery manufacturers and their assistants have been left high and dry having lost their only occupation.

This is due to the present sky rocketing prices of gold sheets, raw materials and expensive labour.

In addition they have been burdened with the heavy licence fee levied.

These jewellery manufacturers in the past paid Rs. 250/- for the annual licence which is now Rs. 5,000/-.

The imported jewellery and its low cost has also posed a constraint to the trade.

RNH IT provides e-commerce solution for NGJA

RNH Infotech has developed a new website for the NGJA with a range of sophisticated features, in line with their need to revitalise the local industry now plagued by the fall in tourist sales.

The website was launched at a ceremony at the National Gem and Jewellery Authority’s (NGJA) auditorium by the Enterprise Development Minister Mano Wijeratne.

Director, Web Solutions of RNH IT Kusal Senanayake highlighted the features of the portal including security features such as secure customer log in and SSL certificates to protect against fraudulent credit card transactions, a comprehensive e-catalogue and an online shopping cart.

The website also offers the NGJA a content management system with the ability to self manage and update news items.

RNH IT has also provided key web solutions to other government sector organisations such as Defence Ministry (MCNS) and the Fisheries Corporation.

CEO RNH Group, Dinuk Hettiarachchi said, “RNH-IT is involved in providing turnkey IT solutions for a wide range of clientele in the Government and private sectors. We consider NGJA one of our key clients and are proud at being able to provide a successful E-Commerce Solution to them.”

RNH Info Tec, a subsidiary of the RNH Group, is an established IT firm providing IT and business related solutions for the past 6 years. RNH Group was established 22 years ago. Its business ventures include accounting and assurance services, company secretarial services, business and tax consultancy, international trade etc.