Sri Lanka to commence exporting Maize

Sri Lanka’s latest export commodity, maize, will see its first shipment taking place next week and the maize exporter has set an ambitious target of 50000 metric tonnes by end of 2012, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said today.

 “My Ministry, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce under which the Sri Lanka Export Development Board functions, has set an ambitious national export target of $ 20 Billion by 2020, and we are now looking to further diversify of our exports basket. Interestingly, our GDP growth can continue to increase further not only with N&E production, but even new, innovative streams of agro production too", said Rishad Bathiudeen, Minister of Industry and Commerce welcoming the latest addition to Sri Lanka’s exports basket.
 

Increasing demand for maize in the world market coupled with the strong human consumption in Africa has resulted in rising global maize prices and as a result, maize has become a major export crop for countries such as Uganda during the last few years.

 Previously Sri Lanka was producing only 15% of its maize, almost all of which were yellow maize, needs within the country with the rest (85%) was met with imports from abroad.