Cargills launches new rice varieties

By L.B. Senaratne

Cargills, Sri Lanka’s supermarket chain, this week launched its new rice product in eight varieties – with the first offering being made to the Dalada Maligawa, in line with the historical tradition in Sri Lanka.

Cargills Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ranjit Page, at the launch, said they would be popularising the product from their outlets scattered right round the country. He said that from the very moment of cultivation, right through to harvesting, winnowing and even up to the point of cooking, Sri Lankans have associated with rice with dignity and valued the commodity.

Picture shows Ranjit Page hands over the rice varieties to Kandy Mayor L.B. Aluvihare at the Kandy Cargills Supermarket.

He said paddy farming was once carried out with immense pride and he added that his company wants to reignite that passion within farmers in giving rice its true value.

Cargills rice comes to the market attractively packed in eight types, Maha Samba Kekulu especially for fried rice (BG 358), Maha Samba Piripun for Biriyani (BG358), Sumudu Piripun for rice and curry (BG 352), Kiri Kekulu for rice and curry (BG 94/1), Ratu Kekulu especially for Kiribath (AT 326) and Rosa Kekulu for rice and curry (AT 362), also for rice and curry and Kiribath. There is also a variety that has been named "Arogya" which is red, long grain rice high in fiber content and rich in vitamins and slow digestive properties.

The company’s Strategic Planning Director Janaki Kuruppu said that there are over 300 local indigenous and improved varieties of paddy currently cultivated in Sri Lanka and each has a unique characteristic.

She said the object of this project is to sell selected, traditional rice varieties of high nutritional value, graded according to their special characteristics and thereby increase the sale and promote the cultivation of such varieties which will give an increased income to the farmers.