AgriculturePlenty Foods holds farmer appreciation ceremony
Plenty Foods Ltd., a fully owned subsidiary of Ceylon Biscuits Ltd., held its Annual Farmer Appreciation ceremony in Kekirawa for soya farmers who had signed forward sales contracts with the company under the company’s backward integration program.
Biotech corn set for rapid Asia expansion, Syngenta says
SINGAPORE (Reuters): Major Asian buyers led by China are set to approve genetically modified corn within the next three to five years to give yields a boost as growing demand for meat drives greater consumption of the staple, the world’s top agrochemicals company said.
Changing diets and greater wealth are pushing up demand for corn, a key source of animal feed, in Asia. But local yields are not enough to meet demand, triggering imports and inflation.
Global rubber output in 2012 revised down to 10.42 MT
SINGAPORE (Reuters): Global natural rubber output is forecast to rise 1.1 per cent to 10.420 million tonnes in 2012, but the increase is lower than an earlier estimate because of heavy rains in plantations in Malaysia and China, the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC) said on Monday.
Basil inspects Bopaththalawa farm
Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa made an inspection visit to Bopaththalawa farm yesterday Sunday to see ongoing constructions and renovation works.
Targeted food subsidies help South Asia cope with future food price spikes: ADB
A spike in the cost of food staples like rice and wheat could push tens of millions more people into extreme poverty in South Asia, but food subsidies targeted at the very poorest in the region would help them cope with still-high prices, says a new report by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
South Asia’s high population growth rates and the high number of people already living on or close to the extreme poverty line of $ 1.25 a day mean it is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world to food price shocks. Spending on food already accounts for half the total budget of low-income households.
Feb. tea output slips marginally
Reuters: Sri Lanka's tea production edged down 0.6 percent in February due to high base in the same month last year, the state-run tea board said on Wednesday.
US Embassy partners with local businesses on Biz+ Program
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the development arm of the U.S. Embassy, awarded the first grant under its Biz+ program on Friday.
Sri Lanka donates rice to refugees in Horn of Africa
Sri Lanka yesterday donated 10,000 metric tons of rice to the World Food Program which will be sent to Ethiopia, where tens of thousands of refugees have fled, after devastating drought contributed to famine in Somalia last year.
Japan extends Rs. 11 m for agricultural assistance in Anuradhapura District
The Government of Japan has extended US$ 93,177 (around Rs. 11 million) grant aid for the rehabilitation of the Weliwewa Tank in Mihintale Divisional Secretary Division, Anuradhapura District under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects scheme (GGP).
Rishad visits highly automated rice processor, says ‘new tech can help increase rice quality’
The rice milling industry techniques strongly influences the quality of rice consumed. “New post-harvest technology will help us in increasing the quality of rice we consume,” said Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen.
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