EDB organises stakeholder forum on organic agricultural exports

Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena

EDB Chairman Suresh de Mel

National Organic Control Unit Advisory Committee Chairman Dr. Sarath Ranaweera

• Trade Minister plans to establish retail chain to sell organic food products under Sathosa Organic Supermarket in 25 main cities across the country
• National Organic Control Unit Chair says 400 companies, 30,000 producers, 60,000 hectares of land are involved in organic agriculture currently 
• EDB Chief observes huge demand for Sri Lanka’s organic products, potential to earn high incomes from the sector
• Participants point absence of adequate accredited laboratory facilities, rejection of products due to cross contaminations as key hindrances restricting progress of the sector

The Sri Lanka Export Development Board (EDB) in association with the Sri Lanka Accreditation Board (SLAB) under the guidance of the Trade Ministry organised a stakeholder forum on organic agricultural exports, chaired by Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena this week at NSBM Green University.

Addressing the forum, Minister Gunawardena opined Sri Lanka has a golden opportunity to solve its foreign exchange problems with the special emphasis President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has given to promote organic agricultural exports. 

He also said that plans are underway to establish a retail chain selling organic food products — Sathosa Organic Supermarket in 25 main cities across the country including Colombo.

Responding to negative sentiments expressed by various parties about the Government’s plans to completely move away from chemical fertilisers, he pointed out such things are quite natural whenever a novel idea or concept is proposed. 

“At the time I was Education Minister, I faced a lot of opposition when I proposed to establish a secondary school in Homagama. So-called experts were claiming that it was not going to succeed. However, contrary to the pessimistic predictions of doomsayers and naysayers, Homagama Mahinda Rajapaksa College has today become one of the most sought-after schools in the country, producing top results in A/L and O/L examinations. Hence, we must not get discouraged by the criticism of cynics,” Gunawardena added. 

National Organic Control Unit (NOCU) Advisory Committee Chairman Dr. Sarath Ranaweera providing an overview of the nation’s organic agricultural exports during the occasion, disclosed that nearly 400 companies and 30,000 producers are involved in organic agriculture currently with 60,000 hectares of land being used for cultivation. “Even during COVID, supermarket shelves reserved for organic food items went empty in the USA, as people are becoming more health-conscious during this day and age,” he pointed out. 

EDB Chairman Suresh de Mel observed that a huge demand is anticipated for Sri Lanka’s organic products and there is potential to earn high incomes from the sector. The absence of adequate accredited laboratory facilities for inspection and testing within the country and rejection of products due to cross contaminations were expressed as the main impediments that restrict the progress of the sector by the participants.

A large number of exporters involved in organic agriculture took part in the forum.