Food and beverage sector SMEs:

Training for Jaffna industrialists

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

Jaffna SME industrialists in the food and beverage sector will be trained through the Industrial Development Board on cost effective production. The training program commenced today for 25 small and medium industrialists at the Jaffna Chamber of Commerce.

The week long program will be conducted by a five member team headed by Switch Asia Global Consultancy Project, Director S.M. Sathicama. Sathicama said that SMEs in the food and beverage industry in the country have become less competitive due to the increased cost of production.

The majority of them use obsolete technologies that consume a large amount of energy creating a serious impact on the cost of production as well as the environment and the society.

He said that the industrialists in Jaffna did not get such an opportunity before and hoped that with the end of the war they will be able to increase productivity in their respective areas and upgrade their businesses. The lessons on how to reduce material and energy cost, increase revenue and profits, improve work force quality and preparation for ISO certification and recognition as a responsible and reliable industry will benefit the participants.

The same program was conducted in Colombo and they are in the process of achieving successful results. The participants will be taken on factory visits at the end of the program to share the experiences.