Samaposha provides support for farmers affected by drought

Saturday, 25 March 2017 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Plenty Foods Director/Chief Executive Officer Shammi Karunaratne handing over the provisions to a farmer in the presence of General Manager Vasantha Chandrapala and Agriculture Manager Preethiviraj of Plenty Foods

Plenty Foods, the producers of the popular breakfast cereal, Samaposha, distributed dry provisions to famers who were affected by the drought in Beralihela and Osuvinna areas in Tissamaharama as a part of the company’s much-appreciated initiative ‘Govi Sarana’, that assists farmers in need to strengthen the bond the company has built with the members of the Samaposha outgrower system.

The provisions were handed over to the farming families in Beralihela, Samakkuliya, Muthiyammagama, Sandungama, Osuvinna, Udasgama, and Thambarawa, by Director/Chief Executive Officer, Shammi Karunaratne. He explained: “These farmers are a vital part of the Samaposha family as they assure the supply of quality raw ingredients for our product. We are mindful of the needs of these farmers who often have to face natural disasters. We take pride in being able to come to their aid in their hour of need and strengthen our bond with the farming community in the country.”

Plenty Foods, a subsidiary of Ceylon Biscuits Ltd., launched the outgrower system two decades ago to ensure that the ingredients that go into producing Samaposha are the freshest with very high quality, without any artificial additives at all. The backward integration endeavour has proved to be very successful. The philosophy of the Samaposha backward integration system is to motivate the outgrowers to produce quality grain – corn, soya, rice, green gram – and in return Plenty Foods gives back a high quality of life to the farming families.

Among the many benefits they get, is a price for the grain they produce which is above the market rate. Knowledge sharing that develops their management and cultivation skills, ability to obtain a hassle-free bank loan, emergency assistance in case of an acute need such as damage to the crop from a natural disaster such as the drought they had recently faced plus advisory services and technical assistance at every stage from planting the seed to the final produce contributes to a contented lifestyle for Samaposha farmers.

‘Govi Pawula’ or ‘Farmer Club’ is the five-pronged initiatives powered by Plenty Foods to further uplift the socio-economic conditions of these farmers via ‘Govi Denuma’, enhancing agricultural knowhow; ‘Govi Sarana’, providing assistance in the hour of need; ‘Govi Sathuta’, providing social bonding and integration to the farmer community, ‘Govi Arana’, that supports their infrastructure needs, and ‘Govi Suwaya’ where health and wellbeing is entrusted.