Thursday Jun 25, 2026
Thursday Jun 25, 2026
Thursday, 25 June 2026 06:34 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
From left: New Anthoney’s Farms Group CEO Neil Suraweera, IFC Asia Pacific Regional Industry Director – Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services Carsten Mueller, and New Anthoney’s Farms Group Chairman Emil Stanley
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, is supporting New Anthoney’s Farms Group (NAF) to expand operations, strengthen efficiency, create jobs, and enhance rural livelihoods at one of Sri Lanka’s top poultry producers.
The IFC will invest up to $ 10 million, including up to $ 5 million from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) Private Sector Window. At full capacity, NAF is expected to export 1,936 metric tons of poultry annually—around 10% of total output—marking a 29% increase from 2024 levels. This expansion is projected to generate up to $ 4.95 million in additional foreign exchange earnings by 2032. In 2024, NAF accounted for more than 90% of Sri Lanka’s poultry meat exports.
The IFC’s investment will enable NAF—Sri Lanka’s only fully antibiotic-free poultry producer—to scale capacity, improve value chain efficiency, and expand access to a safe, affordable domestic supply of poultry. The project is expected to create over 900 jobs and benefit at least 200 smallholder farmers engaged through contract farming and outgrower schemes—22% of them are expected to be women and 80% low-income earners. Smallholders currently contribute around 40% of NAF’s production, and the investment will strengthen market access and improve productivity. It will also support the expansion of NAF’s retail and franchise network, making all-natural poultry more accessible to consumers across the country.
Sri Lanka’s poultry sector is a critical source of affordable protein and a key contributor to food security. Yet smallholder farmers—who make up 85% of farms—account for less than 30% of total supply and face constraints in productivity, efficiency, and market access. Strengthening value chains and integrating smallholders into formal markets will support rural incomes, job creation, and export growth.
NAF Chief Executive Officer Neil Suraweera said: “Founded in 1986 as a smallholder enterprise, NAF is proud to enter its next phase of growth through a partnership with the IFC. This collaboration represents a paradigm shift for NAF, reinforcing our commitment to world-class governance, transparency, and operational excellence, while upholding the highest standards of social and environmental sustainability. We believe this marks a transformative moment for Sri Lanka’s poultry industry and sets a new benchmark for responsible agribusiness in emerging markets.”
IFC Asia Pacific Regional Industry Director – Manufacturing, Agribusiness and Services Carsten Mueller said: “The IFC’s investment in a leading agribusiness like NAF will help build a more efficient and resilient poultry sector and support the scale-up of exports. By expanding modern, sustainable, allnatural production, NAF is expected to increase access to fresh products and lower costs, while strengthening food security and creating jobs and opportunities for smallholder farmers across the value chain.”
Aligned with the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework for Sri Lanka, the IFC’s investment supports private sector-led job creation while strengthening food security and resilience. By expanding production of safe, affordable protein and scaling sustainable practices, the project positions Sri Lanka’s poultry sector for long-term domestic, and export-oriented growth.
