Financial Times

Lankan firm in biotech centre deal in Qatar
By Duruthu Edirimuni
An established Sri Lankan horticulture firm is among three international companies asked to submit bids to the Qatar government to undertake a feasibility study to establish a Regional Centre for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering in plant research there.

Dilip de Silva, CEO of Serendib Horticulture Technologies Pvt Ltd, a top company in the floriculture business in Sri Lanka, said the Qatar Ministry of Agriculture will select one out of the three through a tender process to provide the feasibility study.

Serendib, which has more than doubled its turnover this year, is also finalizing a joint venture with a well reputed company in Qatar. “I bought the company (Serendib) from Ceylon Tobacco Company in 1999 when the turnover was Rs.30 million. Last year we recorded Rs.80 million,” Mr De Silva said adding that the company plans to invest in technology in the new joint venture, which will produce plants for the Qatar market.

“The management and the skilled workers will be provided from Sri Lanka through Serendib Horticulture and many of them will be given a year’s training and also one year contracts,” he said.

The company exports all its products to USA, Denmark. Holland, Japan, Canada, Korea and the Middle East. Serendib was judged the second best display in indoor landscaping at the recently concluded AgriteQ International Exhibition held in Doha, Qatar in February and was awarded the Silver Medal by the Minister of Agriculture, Qatar.

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