Keells and Cargills Food City to increase buying vegetables direct from farmers
View(s):Through the intervention of Minister Dr.Sarath Amunugama, the two biggest consumer products trading organizations in Sri Lanka, Keells and Cargills Food City have commenced the purchase of vegetables direct from farmers as an immediate solution to the serious problem farmers in the vegetable growing areas in the hill country and other areas like Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura and Dambulla were facing in recent weeks.
Minister Sarath Amunugama and officials at the discussion.
A meeting was held recently at the Presidential Secretariat under the chairmanship of the Minister, to discuss the problem faced by vegetable farmers. Austin Fernando, Secretary to the President, other relevant Ministry Secretaries and Government Agents participated at this discussion. “The Minister went into this problem in detail at this conference. The Minister directed the Government Agents regarding the course of action they should take in regard to this matter,” a media release from the Minister’s office.
During the course of the discussion, the Minister contacted heads of the two biggest consumer trading chains, Keells and Cargills Food City and requested them to begin purchasing vegetables direct from the farmers. Accordingly these organizations have now started purchasing vegetables from the farmers.
Informed sources said that these supermarkets with Cargills Food City setting the trends are already sourcing their produce direct from farmers.