'Ag-Biz North' Expo in July

Shirajiv Sirimane

The first ever, agricultural exposure fair 'Ag-Biz North' will be held during July 26 and 27, 2013 at the Central College Grounds, Kilinochchi.

Themed "Reawakening North," the event is organized by the National Agribusiness Council under Practical Action's "Connecting the North" project and endorsed by the Ministry of Agriculture.

'Ag-Biz North' will bring more than 60 enterprises to Kilinochchi including input suppliers from the Agriculture and Fisheries sector such as: Seeds, Agrochemicals and fertilizer, Agricultural Machinery and Implements, Solar Pumps, Irrigation Systems, Tissue Culture, Fisheries and financial institutions.

"Some Malaysian companies have already conformed their participation," said Rohitha Nanayakara, President National Agribusiness Council. He said that they are also currently working with the Indian Embassy in Sri Lanka to woo Indian companies to attend the event. The event would create a platform in Northern Sri Lanka, for technology and service providers to showcase latest products and trends whilst educating the general public and farmers in the region on recent technological improvements. 'Ag Biz North' will reawaken the region through the introduction of the latest agri- products, technologies and trends to the farming and the fishing community.

It would also links farmers with buyers and introduces rural farmers to new market linkages; provides the farming community with an opportunity to find partners from the private sector areas of technology, knowledge, information, marketing, finance and input supply.

In addition, the event provides the opportunity for small and medium scale companies to identify and use resources in the region, motivates farmers to use new technologies, modern agriculture inputs and services and identifies dealers in the region.

"'Ag-Biz North' is a great opportunity for farmers' in the North to meet the private sector and seize the latest agricultural technologies and farming practices. Agricultural entrepreneurs will be able to identify and use the resources in the region, motivate farmers use new technologies, upgrade input and services to match farmer requirements."

Practical Action is a UK based international Non-Governmental Organization working on appropriate technology for development will assist the event.

The organizers, National Agribusiness Council is the apex body for agribusiness in Sri Lanka with 18 agri related associations and 18

corporate members covering all sub sectors of the National Agribusiness chain. NAC is an affiliated member of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

More information could be obtained from National Agribusiness Council by email, [email protected]