KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) handed over laboratory equipment to Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage for the use at the National Plant Quarantine Service Headquarters at Katunayake.

The equipment was handed over to the Minister as a part of KOICA funded project Modernisation of National Plant Quarantine Service in Sri Lanka worth 6 Million USD with the objective of enhancing the export competitiveness of Lankan agricultural products by improving plant quarantine capacity, a press release issued by the KOICA said.

Santhush Woonjin Jeong Ambassador of the Republic of Korea said: Agriculture is a main sector for development cooperation between our two countries. The Korean government has assisted Sri Lanka by sharing knowledge, providing financial and technical support.” He added: “I hope that this Plant Quarantine Laboratory Equipment will be utilised to the maximum to increase agricultural exports, leading to the economic growth of Sri Lanka.”

Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Minister of Agriculture, highly appreciated the support of laboratory equipment by extending his sincere gratitude to KOICA Sri Lanka and the government of Korea for the continuous support.

In Sri Lanka, agricultural exports hold a significant portion of total exports and it is expected that agricultural exports will play an important role in economic development of Sri Lanka.

In order to expand exports of agricultural products, the plant quarantine system must comply with the importing countries’ quarantine conditions. Hence, it is necessary to establish an advanced plant quarantine system required by the export target country. As a step forward, KOICA has decided to join hands in strengthening and modernising the Plant Quarantine Service in Sri Lanka.

The main output of this project includes construction of Seaport Plant Quarantine Station, provision of latest laboratory and ICT equipment, capacity building of the agricultural sector, providing a latest Plant Quarantine Information Management System, and enhancing the Standard of Procedures and upgrading the Sri Lanka Good Agricultural Practice (SL-GAP).

Moreover, for the successful completion of this project, Ambassador Jeong encouraged the Sri Lankan Government to provide continuous dynamic support and cooperation to make this project a massive success.

Among those present were Kang Youn Hwa, Country Director of KOICA, Senior Professor Uditha K. Jayasinghe, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. W.M.W. Weerakoon, Director General of the Department of Agriculture, and Dr. W.A.R.T. Wickramarachchi, Head of the NPQS.

KOICA contributes to the advancement of international cooperation through various projects that build friendly and collaborative relationships and mutual exchanges between Korea and developing countries and support the economic and social development in developing countries, under the mission of ‘Leave no one behind with People centered Peace and Prosperity.’