North gets two sea food factories
Rs. 40 million investment:
Shirajiv Sirimane
Creating a major economic land mark in the Northern Province a crab
and prawn processing factory was opened in Kilinochchi and Jaffna last
week.
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Employees
at one of the sea food plants |
Taprobane Seafoods (TSF) a relatively new company in Sri Lanka
invested Rs. 40 million to launch this project which has created over
600 direct and indirect employment opportunities.
Director,TSF Timothy O’Reilly said that this investment would help
many people affected by the war to rebuild their lives. “Our aim is also
to keep the product in Jaffna and doing value addition thus creating
more income for the local community as well,” he said. He said that with
the opening of the factory local fisherman could not eliminate the
middleman and sell direct to them and obtain the best possible price for
their catch.
The opening of this crab processing facility is a significant
milestone in the development of the fisheries industry in Kilinochchi.
It represents a new business model a partnership between the private
sector and primary producers. This partnership has been made possible
through the support of the Department of Fisheries, the Department of
Cooperative Development, the International Labour Organization, The
District Secretary for Kilinochchi and AUSAID.
Director, TSF, Dilan Fernando said that most of the production in
both factories would be exported to USA and other countries.
“We are firmly committed to long term investment in Sri Lanka and to
support efforts for the sustainable management and the utilization of
the fishery resources, so as to create long term jobs, improve
livelihoods and at the same time ensure a reasonable return on our
investments.”
This building was built to international processing and environmental
standards by the Fisherman’s Cooperative with technical and material
support from TSF. Through an agreement with the cooperative, TSF’s will
operate the plant and ensure that it is run in an efficient and
businesslike manner and that it complies with the highest international
processing standards. The involvement of the cooperative will ensure
that the social and livelihood needs of the community are met.
The new crab processing plant which is owned by Iranaimatha Nagar
Fishermen’s Cooperative Union and operated by Taprobane Seafoods Ltd is
business model that will create decent jobs and livelihoods, safeguard a
valuable resource and maintain the balance between social, environmental
and business needs.
The Jaffna factories were opened by ministers Dr Rajitha Senaratne
and Douglas Devananda.
Conditions of employment will comply with Sri Lankan labour laws and
will be part of the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI). The provision of
free crèche facilities for staff will facilitate the employment of women
many of whom are from female headed households.
The benefits from this processing plant will be felt immediately, as
local employment increases and household incomes improve.
In the long term, the sustainability of the crab fishery is critical
for the benefit of this valuable resource to be available for future
generations to come.
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