A first for the country:

Sri Lanka conquers overseas maize market

Shirajiv SIRIMANE

For the firs time in the Sri Lankan Agriculture history maize is being exported in large volumes to Canada, Taiwan and Gulf countries. Managing Director, Wayamba Traders Company, Shahul Hameed Sadikeen told Daily News Business that that they would be exporting 50, 000 metric tonnes mainly to be used as raw material to manufacture poultry feed.

He said that with peace and more lands being made available for agriculture, Sri Lanka achieved self sufficiency in maize this year. "The country's demands is 180,000 mt tonnes per year and during harvesting of the first season the yield is 200, 000 mt tonnes," he said. He added that they are now looking at manufacturing poultry food in Sri Lanka for exporting to these countries.

Wayamba Traders has a forward sales buying agreement with 2,220 farmers in the Anuradhapura district giving them a guaranteed price of Rs. 35 per kilo. Since the maize plant takes only around three and a half months to mature, farmers earn a profit of around Rs 150,000 growing two and a half acres of maize.

"Subsequently the maize is dehusked by another group who have been provided with machines," he said. This project has been facilitated by the Central Bank.

Wayamba Traders was established in 1993 as a sole trader proprietorship specializing in imports, exports and local merchandise of ago-commodities such as sesame seeds, black pepper, desiccated coconut, nutmeg, cinnamon, garcinia, soya beans, maize and other agricultural products.

He said that he has also influenced farmers to grow sesame also to export to these countries mainly to produce edible oil. "While winning several achievement awards Wayamba Traders is also a large supplier of commodities to the U.N. initiated child health programme in Sri Lanka." Sadikeen said that one of the prime objectives of his company is to help the country to narrow its trade deficit by helping to export more agricultural products.

"Our next project would be to export locally developed infant food,Thriposha and we are looking at exporting this from the Hambantota harbour since it's a free port" he disclosed. Sri Lanka from last year became self sufficient in rice and will be exporting 50,000 mt tonnes to many countries from this year.