Business
Cargills Food City opens its 500th outlet, affirms its commitment to revitalise local economy
* Sources fresh fruits and vegetables from a network of over 5,000 farmers
* Contributes over 14% of the national milk production
* Expanding network generates thousands of livelihood opportunities
by Sanath Nanayakkare
The home-grown Sri Lankan brand, Cargills Food City, marked another milestone yesterday with the opening of its 500th retail outlet in Akuregoda, Pelawatte.
The unveiling of the large retail outlet was attended by Central Bank Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe (chief guest), Deputy Chairman of Cargills Group, Ranjit Page and a host of distinguished guests representing both public and private sectors.
Notably, a book illustrating the Company’s bold and dynamic 39-year journey was presented to the Central Bank Governor at the event.
By benchmarking itself against international supermarkets, Cargills FoodCity has set the bar high for others that follow in its footsteps, while its success served to attract more investors into the sector.
Being present in all 25 districts, Cargills Food City has introduced the supermarket experience to all Sri Lankans, beyond urban and beyond elite class.
To date, Cargills is the only supermarket to operate in the North and East being a sustenance for all Sri Lankans, offering the lowest prices in the country.
Cargills Early Childhood Education Programme has positively impacted over 8,000 children, giving them a stable foundation for their future.
The company recently stepped up its humanitarian efforts with their Community Meals Programme initiated in partnership with the Lasallian Community Education Services. This programme has already delivered over 3,300 nourishing meals to people in underprivileged urban areas.
Cargills Food City has encouraged entrepreneurship across the country by showcasing local brands, many of whom have up-scaled their businesses and are confident about the company’s backing. The Company has supported many small and medium enterprises and has helped them create new categories with innovations.
It ensures that the freshest and most hygienic products adhere to the highest quality benchmarks. Through this strategy, Cargills Food City has been able to support SMEs, which are the backbone of the economy.
A World Bank study also revealed that farmers working in the Cargills supply chain receive a higher price for their efforts, leading to its customers receiving a lower price. The Gates’ Foundation also declared Cargills’ value proposition being a model worth emulating, shining a light on efforts on a global scale.
Today, Cargills is the single largest collector of fresh produce, sourcing fresh fruits and vegetables from a network of over 5,000 farmers and contributes over 4% of the national production in fruits and vegetables – a percentage that continues to grow. It is also the largest collector of fresh milk in Sri Lanka and contributes over 14% of the national milk production. The company is also a leading contributor to the livestock, poultry and animal husbandry sectors.
This outlet expansion has extended direct and indirect employment to hundreds of youth and exposed employees from all districts across the country to good practices in food and nutrition.
Addressing the 58th Annual General Meeting of The Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) held on Monday (27) at Shangri-La Hotel, Colombo, President Ranil Wickremesinghe outlined a comprehensive strategy to propel the country’s tourism sector to new heights. Focused on surpassing the target of 5 million tourists and redefining traditional approaches, the President’s vision extends to achieving 7.5 million visitors in the coming years. The President emphasized the need for innovative thinking and collaboration within the industry to ensure sustainable growth.
“When I took over the government, I realized that sustainability alone is not sufficient. How are we going to earn foreign exchange? How are we going to have a positive balance of trade? In that, there were many suggestions. But what is the low-hanging fruit? And one of the low-hanging fruits was tourism. Let’s promote tourism fully,” President Wickremesinghe declared.
The President acknowledged the need to move beyond the existing framework and embrace competition to elevate Sri Lanka’s standing in the global tourism market. Drawing parallels with countries like Vietnam, he questioned why they had more tourists despite being in the industry for a shorter period. President Wickremesinghe stressed the importance of increasing the number of tourists to 2.5 million in the upcoming year and subsequently expanding on this figure.
(PMD)
Business
Free visas for nationals of China, India, Indonesia, Russsia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan from Monday (27)
The Controller General of Immigration and Emigration has stated that nationals of China, India, Indonesia, Russsia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan will be granted free visas from Monday 27-11-2023 to 31-03-2024 as a pilot program to rebuild the tourism industry.
Nationals of the above nominated countries possessing, Diplomatic, Official, Public Affairs, Services and Ordinary Passports are eligible to enjoy a visa free regime under this scheme.
The above mentioned nationals should apply for Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) before arriving in Sri Lanka subject to granting / issuing free of charge up to 31-03-2024.
Under this scheme tourists can enjoy a 30 days free visa period and a double entry facility is permitted within 30 days from the date of first arrival in Sri Lanka.
Free ETA under this scheme can be applied up to 31-03-2024.
The free ETA cannot be extended further and is limited only to thirty (30) days. In case the free ETA period of 30 days expires after 31-03-2024, an extension of visa could be applied subject to paying the appropriate fee.
The Minister of Economy and Planning for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Faisal F. Alibrahim, met with President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Monday (27) at the Presidential Secretariat.
During the discussions, Minister Faisal F. Alibrahim emphasized Saudi Arabia’s keen interest in strengthening economic ties with Sri Lanka across various sectors, including apparels and tourism. He elucidated that his government was focused on expanding economic relations within the region and regarded Sri Lanka with significant importance.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe welcomed the Minister’s comments, asserting that Sri Lanka is actively promoting enhanced cooperation in Asia, including West Asia. He further highlighted that the tourism and agriculture sectors were areas open to greater investment, as the country is committed to modernizing these domains.
(PMD)
President outlines a bold vision for Sri Lanka tourism at THASL’s 58th AGM
Free visas for nationals of China, India, Indonesia, Russsia, Thailand, Malaysia and Japan from Monday (27)
Cabinet gives green light for Colombo Port City Order No. 3 of 2023 to be presented in Parliament
-
News3 days agoSHMA ties up with NYC to increase trained personnel in hospitality industry
-
News3 days ago
RW says Jay Shah is not running Sri Lanka Cricket
-
News3 days ago
Shani A claims Rs billion from IGP, SDIG and others
-
News7 days ago
Fresh SL military deployment under UN command
-
Business4 days ago
Janashakthi Group’s innovation shines at the National ICT Awards 2023
-
News4 days ago
Sirisena demands action against Rajapaksa economic hitmen for triggering worst financial crisis
-
Business4 days ago
Wait-and-see approach by most stock investors following interest rate decline
-
Business3 days ago
AkzoNobel initiative to give local painters more opportunities at home and abroad
