National AgBiz Awards:

Hayleys wins seven with three Gold

Nationally significant contributions to Sri Lanka's agriculture sector have won companies in the Hayleys Group a record seven awards at the 2010 National Agri Business Awards, the highest number by a single group.

Three Hayleys companies, HJS Condiments Ltd., Sunfrost Limited and Hayleys Agro Products Ltd., were presented with four Gold awards and two Silvers and adjudged second runner-up for the National award, at the Ag-Biz awards ceremony on August 22. This was the fifth consecutive year that the Hayleys Group received top honours for the role it plays in value addition, extension services, research and development, process improvement, employment generation and sustainability initiatives in the fields of agricultural inputs, production, marketing and animal health.

Of the group's award winners, HJS Condiments, the largest exporter of fruit and vegetables from Sri Lanka, received the Gold award for marketing in the Large' category and the second runners-up award at the national awards; Sunfrost, a company that supports a 20,000 farmer family outgrower network received the Gold award for extension services in the 'Large Category, while Hayleys Agro Products won two Golds for veterinary care products (Medium category) and inputs supply (agrochemicals and fertilizers) respectively and two Silvers for farm machinery, equipment and tools and extension services, both in the 'Large' category. "The diverse areas represented by these awards illustrate the width of the Hayleys Group's involvement in the agriculture sector, and the depth of our commitment," Hayleys Group Director Rizvi Zaheed said.

"We are particularly pleased at winning one of the national awards and for the two awards for extension services, because this is an area that demands a huge commitment of people and resources," he said.