550 acre zone exclusively for ‘Akshata’ GMO-free rice
View(s):In an effort to meet the growing demand for Akshata GMO-free rice tagged the “Healthiest Rice in the World”, a special zone of 550 acres of paddy land was recently demarcated for the growing of this special rice varieties also known as ‘Traditional Rice’ in Sri Lanka.
Rice meal
This historic event was graced by the Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Angajan Ramamanthan in the presence of over 400 farmers known as “Akshata Green Force Cluster 4”, the Grains ‘n’ Green Ltd, the company responsible for this rice, said in a media release.
The Minister stated: “We are extremely proud to sign an agreement with Grains ‘n’ Green Ltd. for the growing of traditional non-GMO rice organically with no use of pesticides for local consumption and export, benefitting consumers and the country. We should be proud that such a company has come forward to help the nation increase foreign exchange inflows by branding and introducing to the world indigenous Sri Lankan products.”
Deputy Minister Ramamanthan addressing the gathering said, “Akshata provides an opportunity for the farmers to earn three times the revenue which immensely benefits the farmers and the communities.’’
Grains ‘n’ Green Ltd. Managing Director Roshan Perera, said, “There is great potential in both the established and new markets for increased export growth of Akshata non-GMO Rice, just as Sri Lanka is famed for Pure Ceylon Tea. Akshata has positioned itself in the global arena as Pure Sri Lankan non-GMO Rice. The uniqueness of our rice varieties is that it has more antioxidants than green tea and it has a Low GI Index. Akshata Rice commands a premium price directly benefiting the farmers, with our policy of providing seeds and all other inputs free to the farmer. The end result is a happy farmer producing a quality product benefitting a health conscious consumer.”
He added: “The new zone is a welcome addition to the clusters spread throughout the country which helps Akshata reach its goal of 5,000 acres by 2020.”