News
Cargills continues to empower rural SMEs through the Village to Home programme
A visit to Cargills Food City Pelawatte last weekend would have been a unique experience for any shopper. The Food City outlet was home to several small local businesses, all eager to showcase their products to the extensive customer base of Cargills. This event, called Cargills Village to Home, is a unique programme initiated by Cargills to support small businesses by connecting them directly to the market. The 32nd edition of the programme held on March 22nd and 23rd, saw several entrepreneurs showcasing a wide array of products, ranging from handicrafts to traditional homemade sweets. It also featured Avurudu (Sinhala & Tamil New Year) games and activities, creating a lively shopping atmosphere for customers.
A key feature of the Village to Home program is the opportunity it provides for small local businesses to set up monthly trade stalls at Cargills Food City outlets free of charge. Cargills covers all associated event expenses, including transport and logistics, allowing entrepreneurs to retain all income earned through the program. SMEs that demonstrate significant growth are given the opportunity to become listed suppliers at Cargills Food City, gaining access to markets across 540 locations. Additionally, Cargills Bank plays a vital role in supporting these entrepreneurs by offering banking services such as accounts, loans, card services, and financial literacy training.
Another inspiring aspect of the program is that it has brought a diverse group of entrepreneurs to market, including female entrepreneurs, youth-led businesses, and those with special abilities. Cargills has also expanded the program to the Northern Province, further enhancing opportunities for entrepreneurs across the country.
Speaking at the event, Ranjit Page, Deputy Chairman of Cargills (Ceylon) PLC, reflected on the significance of the program:
“When markets were shut down during the pandemic, we thought about how best to support those who were most affected, especially small businesses. Cargills reached out to SMEs from different parts of the country and created the Village to Home program to connect small entrepreneurs with our customer base. We created space for them to earn an income, with no additional cost to the SME, and Cargills does not earn any income from this program. Building entrepreneurs was the need of the hour in August 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, and it continues to be the need of the hour today, because as we all know, SMEs are the engine of our economy.”
Mr. Page went on to say, “We share our expertise and know-how with these entrepreneurs, helping to launch their businesses. Some have even taken their products beyond the shores of Sri Lanka to export markets. I am proud to say we have given opportunities to over 1,300 small local businesses through this program over the last few years.”
“This opportunity has been life-changing for us,” said one local entrepreneur, whose family-run business has grown significantly since joining the Village to Home program. “Thanks to Cargills, we have learned how to package and market our products more effectively, and we are now reaching customers we never could have imagined.”
Dr. Dushni Weerakoon, Senior Economist and Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), and also an Independent Director of Cargills (Ceylon) PLC, was among those present at the Village to Home program in Pelawatte, offering encouragement to the SMEs.
Cargills, once known for its four department stores in the early 1980s, has today evolved into a leading contributor to the national economy, with a presence that extends beyond retailing. The company is a significant contributor to the agriculture, dairy, and livestock sectors, creating supermarkets and factories that provide value-added opportunities for local producers. With over 12,000 team members, more than 70% of whom are under the age of 30, Cargills is also a leading employer of rural youth, building the skills of young talent across the country. The Village to Home program is a testament to Cargills’ philosophy of being more than just a business and developing entrepreneurs across Sri Lanka.
Religious and civil society leaders have called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to begin implementing the recommendations outlined in the Special Presidential Commission that investigated the Easter Sunday terror attacks without further delay.
Addressing a press conference held at the Centre for Society and Religion in Colombo, Lawyer Manoj Nanayakkara stated that 71 months have passed since the Easter Sunday attacks, yet justice has not been served for the victims.
“We are approaching the sixth anniversary of this heinous crime, which claimed nearly 300 lives and wounded twice as many others. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had promised to conduct a fresh investigation into this crime. In the meantime, he could implement the recommendations of the Special Presidential Commission that probed the Easter Sunday terror attacks. This would demonstrate that the current government is keeping its word to deliver justice to the victims,” Nanayakkara said.
He also commented on Ven. Galagodatte Gnanasara Thero, who has been holding press conferences, claiming to have information related to the terror attacks and to know the masterminds behind them. “Our question is why he does not go to the law enforcement agencies and share the information he claims to possess. There is no purpose in making such statements at press conferences. As a citizen, his duty is to share this information with the investigating authorities.
Therefore, we believe that Gnanasara Thero is engaging in a political ploy at the behest of someone else. He should be aware that intentionally withholding information about a brutal massacre and failing to share it with the investigating authorities is an offence punishable under the Penal Code,” Nanayakkara said.Rev. Fr. Julian Patrick Perera, Rector of St. Joseph Vaz Deva Dharma Niketanaya, also addressed the press conference.
By Norman Palihawadana
The Colombo foreign ministry Friday formally announced Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Sri Lanka when he will have bilateral talks with President Anura Kumara Disanayaka and Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya.
While in Sri Lanka,Modi is scheduled to visit Anuradhapura to pay homage to the sacred Sri Maha Bodhi and will inaugurate several projects implemented in Sri Lanka with the assistance of the Government of India, a ministry release.
A number of Memoranda of Understanding inked between the two countries are also expected to be exchanged during this visit, it added.
The Indian PM will be accompanied by the Minister of External Affairs, the National Security Advisor, Foreign Secretary and other senior officials of the Government of India.
It was revealed in the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) that a private company named ‘Savorite’ was issued Waiver of Registration (WoR) certificates to import 38 types of medicines in 2022 without the evaluation of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA).
The former Secretary to the Ministry of Health also informed the Committee that the former Minister of Health had given instructions to select this private company to import medicines in this way, parliament sources said on Friday.
This was disclosed when the COPE met in Parliament recently under the chairmanship of MP Dr Nishantha Samaraweera, to examine the Auditor General’s reports for the years 2022, 2023 and 2024 and the current performance of the NMRA.
The Committee Chair informed the committee that on December 30, 2022, the NMRA had issued Waiver of Registration (WoR) certificates to a private company named ‘Savorite’ for the import of 38 types of medicines submitted through unsolicited proposals without the evaluation of the NMRA.
The Committee Chair said that the NMRA has abdicated its responsibility, stating that the purpose of establishing the NMRA is to ensure the quality, safety and efficacy of those medicines and that it cannot be handed over to the Medical Supplies Sector.
Former members of the Board of Directors of the NMRA said that since the import of medicines through a special pathway with prior approval was carried out, the Board of Directors could not grant permission for it without conducting a proper evaluation. Therefore, they said that they did not accept responsibility in this regard.
Accordingly, this matter was discussed at length in the committee, and it was revealed that the former Minister of Health had instructed to select a private company called ‘Savorite’ to import the medicines in short supply for three months.
Meanwhile, the Committee also discussed at length the Cabinet Memorandum submitted by the former Minister of Health on September 26,2022. The Committee Chair inquired from the Ministry of Health officials about the fact that a large number of medicines would reach zero levels within the next three weeks from the date of submission of the relevant Cabinet Memorandum.
The officials who responded said that the information had been added to the Cabinet Memorandum based on the information obtained from the existing database regarding medicines. However, the committee Chair said that it was unacceptable for a large number of medicines to reach zero levels at the same time and that the relevant responsible officials had acted irresponsibly until such a level was reached.
The Auditor General, who spoke at the time, stated that the medicines that were ordered and to be received in advance have also been imported, citing that the medicines have reached zero levels.
Accordingly, the committee chair instructed the officials to submit a full report to the Committee on who were the officials involved in preparing this Cabinet Memorandum. The Chair further stated that a full report regarding the import of these medicines will be prepared by the Committee and submitted to Parliament, and that necessary action will be taken expeditiously.
MPs Mano Ganeshan, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, S. M. Marikkar, Chaminda Wijesiri, Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Chandima Hettiarachchi, Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana, Kosala Nuwan Jayaweera, Sudath Balagalla, Dr S. Sri Bavanandarajah, Lt Com (Retd.) Prageeth Madhuranga and Samanmali Gunasinghe were present in this committee meeting.
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