The Sri Lankan spice sector is looking at expanding the sector with technological collaborations and investments following the Global Spice Road Symposium in Colombo in June.
The industry sources said, the spice industry representatives envision that Sri Lanka as a main spice country and the growers and the exporters will be able to benefit through technological collaborations and knowledge sharing sessions during the symposium. The main objective of this event is to create an upheaval in the main segments of spice, namely, Agronomy, Post Harvesting, Primary Processing, Technological Intervention and Value Addition, Export and Commercials.
Along with product quality, the hygienic factor of low quality spices augmented through the use of health hazardous chemicals, which in fact has been a negative factor contributing to the diminishing demand for Sri Lankan Spices.
According to the Global Spice Road Symposium Secretariat, the main challenges and constraints confronted mainly by producers and exporters will be addressed in the forum to secure a holistic approach to identify the most feasible solution.
The symposium despite being a private initiative has managed to gather sufficient momentum from the government sector, mainly the endorsements from President Maithripala Sirisena and Ministry of Agriculture.
Further collaboration with the main public agencies such as the Spice Council, Spice and Allied Product Producers’ and Traders’ Association, Export Agricultural Department, United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization and many academic leaders will be a part of the external committee to drive the main strategies and formation of the event towards its envisioned success.
The Global Spice Road Symposium will be held at the Bandaranaike International Memorial Hall from July 10 to 13.
The members of the Strategy and Planning Committee of the Global Spice Road Symposium Secretariat include Dr. Heenkende, Director General of Export Agricultural Department, Gulam Chathoor, Chairman of Saboor Chathoor Pvt Ltd, Manju Gunawardena, Chairman of The Spice Council, Prins Gunasekara, Chairman of The Spice and Allied Product Producers’ and Traders’ Association and Professor Buddhi Marambe, Chairman, Board of Study in Crop Science, Postgraduate Institute of Agriculture (PGIA), University of Peradeniya.
0 comments: