Crysbro’s close links with farmers help uplift country’s rural economy

Friday, 24 May 2019 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

For 47 years, industry-leading and distinctly Sri Lankan chicken producer Crysbro has operated with a view to not only supply this essential meat to homes across the country but also lead and empower. Over time, as Crysbro swelled from a modest family establishment to a firm which has shaped the lives of thousands of Sri Lankans, this mission has grown stronger and taken on several additional dimensions.

The most crucial aspect of this objective is its vital support framework for the entire local farming community. Crysbro has continuously endeavoured to assist and foster close ties with these farmers who provide maize required to feed the chickens that the group supplies to local grocers, supermarkets and restaurants.

This year alone Crysbro’s subsidiary bolstered the rural economy by spending over Rs. 1 billion to purchase maize from over 1200 farmers in regions such as Moneragala, Mahiyanganaya and Anuradhapura

“By selling the maize I produce to Crysbro, I am able to generate enough money to sustain my entire family. Working with them also gives me financial security because I know there is always a buyer for my crops so I don’t have to worry about generating losses and going into debt,” said D.M. Muthuband, a farmer from Rathebe yaya, Adaulpothe.

In addition, Crysbro’s feed mill allows farmers to engage in direct selling. This entirely erases their reliance on a mediating middleman and ensures that they are paid after the collection of stocks.

“We are grateful for the business Crysbro gives us because it not only brings money into the community but also jobs. We also deal with them directly so our profits are greater and there are no delays in payment,” revealed another farmer W.M. Wijerathne from Adaulpotha.

Ultimately, Crysbro’s ties to farmers enable it to deliver on its overarching commitment of creating healthy citizens within a healthy economy.

This is represented by its leading role within the poultry industry, whose short- and long-term benefits to the economy are immense. The industry is among the country’s highest agricultural revenue generators along with its most disciplined, structured and consistent taxpayer.

Established in 1972 with just 100 chicks and a deep desire to be a market leader in quality and innovation, Crysbro has emerged as Sri Lanka’s first and most sophisticated, fully vertically-integrated poultry producer. Its operations span grandparent and parent farms, hatcheries, broiler farms and feed mills. This thriving ‘Farm-to-Fork’ concept has formed the core of its success. In turn, it has yielded unprecedented benefit for numerous stakeholders including direct and indirect employees, outgrowers, domestic maize farmers and ultimately Sri Lankan consumers.