Addressing the annual meeting of the All Ceylon Bakery Owners' Association at the Shangri-La Colombo on June 12, the Prime Minister highlighted the bakery industry's potential to become a key contributor to the national economy through innovation and value-added food production.
She emphasized the importance of producing nutritious and safe food products free from artificial flavourings and colourings, while encouraging the use of locally sourced ingredients such as rice flour, finger millet, foxtail millet, green gram and indigenous tubers.
The Prime Minister noted that incorporating local organic produce into food prepared for foreign tourists would strengthen demand for local agricultural products, creating new opportunities for farmers and enhancing the country's tourism offering.
She also reaffirmed the government's commitment to supporting local entrepreneurs through improved access to raw materials, concessionary loans for new technologies, technical assistance, training programmes and market linkages to help small and medium-scale bakery businesses expand and meet international standards.
The event was attended by Deputy Minister of Industries Chathuranga Abeysinghe, President of the All Ceylon Bakery Owners' Association N.K. Jayawardana, and members of the association.
