Hayleys sweeps AgBiz awards 2011 with record 10 awards

Companies in the agriculture sector of the Hayleys Group have secured a record 10 awards including four Golds, four Silvers and two Bronze awards at the National Agri Business Awards 2011, underlining the Group’s continuing dominance at this annual event.

In recognition of its significant contributions to the development of the industry in Sri Lanka, Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Ltd., (formerly Hayleys Agro Products Ltd.) which was formed earlier this year by bringing together nine companies in the Hayleys Group involved in Agriculture, was awarded two Golds.

HJS Condiments Ltd., the largest Sri Lankan exporter of fruit and vegetables and Sunfrost Ltd., a company involved in the introduction of the latest growing and agronomical practices and technologies to Sri Lanka’s rural heartland, were each awarded a Gold for their respective roles in developing the sector.

Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Ltd. also secured two Silver awards while Agro Technica Limited, the only local manufacturer of sprayers and Quality Seed Company Limited, a leading F1 hybrid flower seed producer, secured a Silver each.

The bronze awards were won by Hayleys Agro Fertilizer (Pvt) Ltd. and Hayleys Agro Biotech (Pvt) Ltd, a producer of a variety of ornamental and horticultural plants through tissue culture.

The ten awards secured this year increase the total number of awards secured by the Hayleys Group at the National Agri Business Awards in the last three years to 21, ten of them Golds. The awards were organised by the National Agribusiness Council for the sixth consecutive time this year.

“There can be no better recognition of the Hayleys Group’s enduring commitment to the development of the agriculture sector in the country than these awards, particularly the two Gold awards secured for Extension Services,” said Rizvi Zaheed, the Hayleys Group Director in-charge of the conglomerate’s agriculture sector companies. “It is important to note that the awards recognise the Group’s strength in many diverse aspects in the sphere, including agricultural inputs, marketing of agricultural produce, other support services and agricultural production.”

The Gold awards secured by Hayleys Agriculture Holdings, HJS condiments and sunfrost were in recognition of the performance of the three entities in the large scale category in ‘agro chemicals,’ ‘export of fruits and vegetables’ and ‘extension services.’

The Silver awards recognised the performances of Hayleys Agriculture Holdings, Agro Technica and Quality Seed Company in ‘import and supply of farm machinery equipment and tools – large scale,’ ‘veterinary care products – medium scale,’ ‘manufacture of farm machinery, equipment and tools – medium scale’ and ‘seed farms/producers – small scale’ respectively.

The contributions of Hayleys Agro Fertilizer and Hayleys Agro Biotech were recognised with Bronze awards in the categories of ‘fertilizers – large scale’ and ‘retail and wholesale marketing of agriculture produce – small scale.’

Hayleys Group companies involved in agriculture were also recognised at this year’s Presidential Export Awards with HJS Condiments winning three awards for ‘outstanding export performance’ in the ‘non–traditional product and services category – agricultural products, for 2007, 2008 and 2009’.

The National Agri Business Awards were awarded based on business overview, financial management, human resource management, social impact and sector specific performance. Applicants were evaluated by a panel of agriculturalists, accountants, and marketing consultants from the private and public sectors.

The nine companies represented by the Hayleys agriculture grouping are Hayleys Agriculture Holdings Ltd., Hayleys Agro Fertilisers Ltd., Haychem Ltd., Agro Technica Ltd., Hayleys Agro Biotech Ltd., Sunfrost Ltd., HJS Condiments Ltd., Hayleys Agro Farms Ltd., and Quality Seed Co. Ltd. The Group’s involvement in every stage of the life cycle of agro produce from producing seeds to supporting the export of processed vegetable and fruit, gives the entity a unique profile in the agriculture sector, and enables it to add value at many points and in many aspects.