Commercial Bank empowers southern rice millers with awareness program

The Commercial Bank of Ceylon recently conducted a program to enhance the proficiency in rice milling of rice millers in the deep south of Sri Lanka under the bank’s initiative to assist micro businesses and SMEs countrywide by providing them with essential knowledge.

The program, organised by the bank’s Tissamaharama Agriculture and Micro Finance Unit (AMFU) with the assistance of its Ambalantota, Hambantota and Tissamaharama branches, benefitted 40 rice millers with knowledge on developing their rice mills and optimising their resources. It was conducted in collaboration with the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), Inland Revenue Department and the Institute of Post-Harvest Technologies.

Officials of the Central Bank conducted a session on financial literacy development covering fund management, the difference between formal and informal sector borrowings, how to identify legal tender notes, the Central Bank’s loan schemes and characteristics of pyramid systems.

Representatives of Institute of Post Harvest Technologies covered key aspects of effective paddy storing by explaining some of the techniques of modern paddy storing methods, how to reduce post-harvest losses, how to enhance profitability and new machinery.

Among the senior representatives of the organisations involved in conducting the program were Commercial Bank Regional Manager – Southern Sirimevan Bandara Wasala, Central Bank of Sri Lanka Matara Branch Regional Manager Upali Hettiarachchi, Institute of Post-Harvest Technologies Senior Engineer H.M.K.B. Rathnayake, Inland Revenue Department Assistant Commissioner A. Gamage Somapala and lecturer on Positive Thinking Kapila Danasiri. The Commercial Bank has conducted similar programs for SMEs and micro entrepreneurs in areas such as Narammala, Galle, Monaragala, Wellawaya, Badulla, Passara, Bandarawela, Welimada, Weligama, Koggala, Karapitiya, Matara, Batticaloa, Ampara, Kurunegala, Jaffna, Vavuniya, Hingurakgoda and Kandy in the recent past. The bank’s Agriculture and Micro Finance Units are located in Ratnapura, Narammala, Kandy, Anuradhapura, Kilinochchi, Bandarawela, Wellawaya, Hingurakgoda, Galewela, Atchuvely, Vavuniya and Tissamaharama. They identify and support people who need financial assistance for Agri/Micro businesses, provide guidance on how to improve their businesses and help resolve difficulties.