Local organic ingredients to boost farmers and tourism: PM

Colombo, June 13 (Daily Mirror) - Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya has said that the use of locally produced organic agricultural products in bakery items would be a significant boost for local farmers while also contributing to the growth of Sri Lanka’s tourism industry.

She made these remarks while addressing the All Sri Lanka Bakery Owners’ Annual Conference held in Colombo yesterday (12).

Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister highlighted that the bakery industry has the potential to become a key driver of the national economy during the country’s ongoing economic transformation, extending beyond traditional flour-based products.

“The basis of food production should be quality and health. Rather than focusing only on taste, the industry should move towards healthy products free from artificial flavours and colours, with higher nutritional value,” she said.

She further said that the bakery sector could align with the growing global demand for “healthy food” by developing value-added products using locally sourced ingredients such as rice flour, kurakkan, millet, green gram, and local potatoes.

The Prime Minister also highlighted that incorporating local organic produce into food served to foreign tourists would strengthen rural farmers and support tourism sector development.

She added that the government is committed to strengthening local entrepreneurs and reducing dependency on imported raw materials, while also providing technical assistance to meet international standards. She said that concessional credit facilities, technological support, and export-standard compliance initiatives are being implemented to support the sector.

Programs have also been launched through the Ministry of Industries to provide training and market linkages for small and medium-scale bakery owners, she noted.

Deputy Minister of Industries Chathuranga Abeysinghe, President of the All Ceylon Bakery Owners Association N.K. Jayawardena, and several members of the association attended the event.