Homegrown export products

The other day, shopping at a Supermarket in Colombo, I saw natural bath scrubs, nicely packed, displayed in the skin care section.

Through curiosity, I had a close look at it to see whether it was locally produced or imported. To my disappointment and surprise it looked like an imported product, though the country of origin was not marked.

It consisted of some fibre, which looked like dried ridged gourd (Wetakolu). Probably, it would have been Wetakolu, which was used by our older generation for scrubbing their bodies while bathing. This is one simple product among others which can be popularised through advertising and other means, and it could also be exported, if export markets are found. Such products will help the rural, home-based micro industry and our farmers too. Unlike preserving fresh vegetables, these dried products could be kept indefinitely, I believe, finally, Wetakolu is not only a tasty dish, it is food for thought.

ND