Ayurveda Drugs Corporation:

A profit making venture today

Ridma Dissanayake

The Sri Lanka Ayurveda Drugs Corporation which was a non-profitable venture, is now progressing as a profitable institution in its 44th year. It recorded a Rs 67 million profit last year while upgrading the quality of its products, a spokesman said.

The spokesman said the corporation earned a record income last year.

"The corporation recorded a Rs. 40.02 million loss in 2007. It reduced its loss step by step and has became a profitable venture today," he said.

"We recorded a Rs. 50.09 million profit in 2008 and it increased to Rs. 63.88 million by the end of 2011. By the end of last year, we have earned an income of Rs. 67 million for the first time in the history of the Sri Lanka Ayurveda Corporation," the spokesman said.

The Sri Lanka Ayurveda Drugs Corporation was incorporated in 1969 by the government extra ordinary gazette notification No. 14853/1 dated May 11, 1969 under the provision of State Industrial Corporation Act. No. 49 of 1957 as the pioneer of manufacturing and marketing of Ayurvedic Drugs to government hospitals, Ayurveda physicians and private sector, and has been playing a major role in the health sector in Sri Lanka for 44 years. The Sri Lanka Ayurveda Drugs Corporation has established outlets in Kandy, Anuradhapura, Ratnapura, Diyathalawa, Badulla, Fort, Navinna, Tangalle and Jaffna.

Arrangements are in place to establish outlets in Vavuniya and Kilinochchi.

In addition to those outlets, the corporation has established outlets at several government and private institutes under the theme Sanstha Poshana Mandira to encourage the public to get used to local diet styles.