Business
Cargills backs agricultural households on educating their children
‘Sarubima Fund’ to complete awarding 774 scholarships worth Rs.25 million this year
By Sanath Nanayakkare
Cargills agri value chain which has established itself as one of the most successful networks in the country, continues to pay tribute to its farmer partners by supporting and empowering their children to achieve academic excellence.In 2008, Cargills established a farmer welfare fund ‘Sarubima’ in Thanamalwila, by contributing 50 cents for every kilogram of produce purchased from farmers to launch an educational scholarship program for farmers’ children who excel in Grade 5, Ordinary Level and University Entrance exams. This contribution has continued to date. Furthermore, a part of the fund was allocated for community development projects including, providing access to safe drinking water and building children’s playgrounds in rural schools to name a few.
This year, the Cargills’ Sarubima fund will be awarding 774 scholarships worth Rs.25 million to farmer children who have excelled in academics. The awardees include 194 students at Grade 5, 375 at Advanced Level, 158 at university and 47 for vocational training. In addition, 32 community development projects have been planned which include health camps and eye camps for farmers, and water supply and sanitary facility projects urgently required by selected rural schools and hospitals.
Since the inception of the fund, over 2,500 scholarships have been awarded to farmer children and over 100 community projects have been undertaken which include water purification projects, school libraries and upgrading sanitary facilities in rural schools. In 2014, the Sarubima Fund was extended to all Cargills vegetable, fruit, and milk collection centers, benefiting over 20,000 agri and dairy farmers across the country. In 2018, Cargills Sarubima took a step towards national agriculture development with the start of the Agriculture Modernization Project. This project is a model for climate-smart, profitable, and environment-friendly production of a range of GAP certified fresh produce.
‘Sarubima’ is an epitome of Cargills’ commitment to empowering rural agri and dairy farmers in Sri Lanka.
The Company’s investments in collection centers, refrigerated trucks and improved logistics have enabled direct collection of fresh produce from the farmer, giving them the peace of mind of having a strong, trusted partner to connect them with the end-consumer in a hassle-free manner.
Some of its key achievements include minimizing post-harvest loss of fruit and vegetables and eliminating middlemen from the supply chain which ensure a lower price to consumers while ensuring higher prices for farmers. In addition to purchasing milk and agri produce at a guaranteed price, Cargills has improved the productivity, quality and sustainability of farmers’ production, thereby enhancing rural livelihoods and transforming traditional farmers to agri-entrepreneurs.
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka today (07) presented its flagship publication, the Annual Economic Review for 2024 (AER 2024), to President and Minister of Finance, Anura Kumara Disanayake, highlighting the steady progress of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery following the country’s most severe downturn in recent history.
The report was officially handed over by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of the Central Bank, during a special ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat.
AER 2024 comprises four main chapters: Macroeconomic Developments, Conditions of the Financial System, Review of Central Bank’s Policies and Macroeconomic Outlook.
According to the Review, the Sri Lankan economy showed significant signs of recovery in 2024, following the deep economic crisis experienced two years ago. The recovery trajectory, though challenging, has been notably faster than that of many other debt-distressed countries.
Improvements in economic activity, a partial resurgence in purchasing power and reduced uncertainty are among the key positive indicators noted in the report.
The event was attended by Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the President, K. M. Mahinda Siriwardena, Secretary to the Treasury, Mrs. K. M. A. N. Daulagala, Senior Deputy Governor, Dr. C. Amarasekara, Assistant Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) S. Jegajeevan, Director of Economic Research and Dr. L. R. C. Pathberiya and Additional Director of Economic Research at the Central Bank Dr. V. D. Wickramarachchi.
[PMD]
Business
IceWarp expands into Sri Lanka, fostering European innovation in collaboration with FentonsIT
IceWarp, a global leader in business communication solutions, has officially launched its cutting-edge platform in Sri Lanka, bringing European expertise in email and collaboration solutions to support the country’s evolving business landscape.
This expansion is driven by a strategic partnership with Fentons Information Technology (FIT), the Information Technology arm of Hayleys Fentons Limited.
The grand launch event held at The Kingsbury Colombo on 4th April, 2025, was graced by several distinguished guests, including Chief Guest Mohan Pandithage, Chairman and Chief Executive of Hayleys PLC.
The presence of Adam Paclt, Global CEO of IceWarp, and Pramod Sharda, CEO for India and the Middle East of IceWarp, along with their global team, highlighted the significance of this expansion. Industry experts, government officials, corporate leaders, and CIOs from the banking, financial services and insurance sectors were in attendance as well, reflecting strong local interest in IceWarp’s European expertise.
With this launch, Sri Lankan businesses now have access to an affordable, scalable and secure alternative to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. IceWarp’s advanced Collaboration Suite integrates a wide range of tools into a single, unified platform designed to streamline communication and boost productivity. Offering flexible hybrid deployment options and cost-efficient solution, IceWarp enables organisations to optimise their operations without compromising security or functionality.
Ceylon Energy and HJT China have successfully completed the Mahiyangana-Kappalthurei 33kV power distribution lines and the Uhana Gantry as part of Sri Lanka’s Supporting Electricity Supply Reliability Improvement Project (SESRIP). Funded by the Asian Development Bank ($42 million), SESRIP aims to expand energy access in underserved regions, including conflict-affected areas and provinces like Uva and North Central.
The project’s infrastructure spans over 270 km of 33kV lines, 13 switching gantries, and 2,372 km of low-voltage extensions.
The projects connect 35,000+ households and improve reliability for 493,000+ consumers; integrates renewables to reduce losses.
The projects’ notable components include: Mahiyangana-Bibila Line: 36 km with 147 steel towers and Kappalthurei-Sixth Mile Post Line: 14 km with 58 towers.
Ceylon Energy Chairman Madushanka Fernando hailed it as a ‘new beginning of a brighter era’, emphasising the project’s role in uplifting rural communities and driving sustainable development.
The initiative underscores Sri Lanka’s commitment to inclusive, reliable energy and climate resilience.
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