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CTA Chairman Sarada de Silva, EU Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Head of Co-operation Frank Hess, and Dr. Jairo Andres Villamil-Diaz of UNIDO laying the foundation stone[/caption]
The Cinnamon Training Academy (CTA) kicked off construction of a cinnamon processing centre or so-called “Bought Tree Factory” (BTF) at Kosgoda, recently. The setting of the foundation stone ceremonially took place at the CTA with the participation of EU Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Head of Co-operation Frank Hess, Dr. Jairo Andres Villamil-Diaz of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Galle District Southern Provincial Council Balapitiya Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Saman de Silva, Ministry of Home Affairs Divisional Secretary Balapitiya B. P. S. Anuradhi, Department of Export Agriculture Director Dr. G Jayasinghe, and the Board of Directors of the CTA, including Chairman Sarada de Silva.
The CTA is expanding its existing training premises by adding a cinnamon processing centre with the objective of optimising their performance and financial sustainability. The new addition is expected to generate year-round income, particularly during the harvest season when the demand for training is lower and the demand for processing is higher. The processing centre would purchase cinnamon trees at farm gate, removing the need for a middleman, enabling upstream value chain actors, particularly smallholders in Balapitiya, Karandeniya, and Ambalangoda to achieve a higher margin on their products.
Foreseen to be fully operational by the year’s end, the cinnamon processing centre will generate 20 new jobs and more than 100 indirect job opportunities. The cinnamon processing centre will have a processing capacity of 24,000 cinnamon trees with an output of 1,350 kg of processed cinnamon per month in two harvesting seasons. At its full capacity, the cinnamon processing centre can generate an additional sales revenue of Rs. 2.7 million per month for the CTA.
In his welcome speech, CTA Chairman Sarada de Silva congratulated the Chief Guest, former Minister of Plantation Industries and Export Agriculture Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, for his recent reappointment to the Parliament, and honoured him for his service and contribution to strengthening Sri Lanka’s agricultural exports, particularly for the cinnamon industry. De Silva also recognised the financial support of the EU and the technical support of UNIDO towards the construction of the cinnamon processing centre, which takes place within the framework of the EU-Sri Lanka trade-related assistance project co-implemented by UNIDO and the International Trade Centre.
CTA Chairman Sarada de Silva, EU Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Head of Co-operation Frank Hess, and Dr. Jairo Andres Villamil-Diaz of UNIDO laying the foundation stone[/caption]
The Cinnamon Training Academy (CTA) kicked off construction of a cinnamon processing centre or so-called “Bought Tree Factory” (BTF) at Kosgoda, recently. The setting of the foundation stone ceremonially took place at the CTA with the participation of EU Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Head of Co-operation Frank Hess, Dr. Jairo Andres Villamil-Diaz of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Galle District Southern Provincial Council Balapitiya Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Saman de Silva, Ministry of Home Affairs Divisional Secretary Balapitiya B. P. S. Anuradhi, Department of Export Agriculture Director Dr. G Jayasinghe, and the Board of Directors of the CTA, including Chairman Sarada de Silva.
The CTA is expanding its existing training premises by adding a cinnamon processing centre with the objective of optimising their performance and financial sustainability. The new addition is expected to generate year-round income, particularly during the harvest season when the demand for training is lower and the demand for processing is higher. The processing centre would purchase cinnamon trees at farm gate, removing the need for a middleman, enabling upstream value chain actors, particularly smallholders in Balapitiya, Karandeniya, and Ambalangoda to achieve a higher margin on their products.
Foreseen to be fully operational by the year’s end, the cinnamon processing centre will generate 20 new jobs and more than 100 indirect job opportunities. The cinnamon processing centre will have a processing capacity of 24,000 cinnamon trees with an output of 1,350 kg of processed cinnamon per month in two harvesting seasons. At its full capacity, the cinnamon processing centre can generate an additional sales revenue of Rs. 2.7 million per month for the CTA.
In his welcome speech, CTA Chairman Sarada de Silva congratulated the Chief Guest, former Minister of Plantation Industries and Export Agriculture Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, for his recent reappointment to the Parliament, and honoured him for his service and contribution to strengthening Sri Lanka’s agricultural exports, particularly for the cinnamon industry. De Silva also recognised the financial support of the EU and the technical support of UNIDO towards the construction of the cinnamon processing centre, which takes place within the framework of the EU-Sri Lanka trade-related assistance project co-implemented by UNIDO and the International Trade Centre.