Business
Northern fishermen switch to China-backed sea cucumber boom
ECONOMYNEXT – Over 600 fishermen in Sri Lanka’s former northern war zone have switched to sea cucumber farming, a booming trade, in the coastal belt of Jaffna and Kilinochchi where a Chinese firm started a hatchery five years ago.
China’s joint venture Gui Lan hatchery in Jaffna’s coastal village of Ariyalai was started when many northern fishermen were finding it harder to catch large fish which is blamed on outlawed bottom trawling employed by Indian vessels.
The fishermen were given one-month-old small sea cucumbers from the hatchery, which were grown in their usual fishing spots in the sea.
N Dhivakaran, president of Jaffna District Sea Cucumber Association, told EconomyNext that over 600 fishermen have now started sea cucumber farming after they saw the potential for a steady income in the new venture.
“There are investors for sea cucumber farming. Now the fisheries ministry also promotes sea cucumber farming through incentives,” said Dhivakaran.
Dhivakaran maintains a 10-acre farm near the Gui Lan hatchery in Ariyalai. He now sells between 2,000 and 3,000 sea cucumbers a month, earning between 60,000 and 90,000 rupees in revenue.
“We sell a sea cucumber once it reaches 300 grams in weight,” he said. “I started the farm with 40,000 small sea cucumbers and now the hatchery’s production is not enough. So I try to get additional sea cucumbers from other sea areas.”
A 300 gram sea cucumber is sold for around 400 rupees to local agents who export them to countries like Singapore and Hong Kong.
“We do not have the proper certification process to export them directly to China. Our sea cucumbers go through that certification process in Singapore and Hong Kong before they are exported to China. So we are losing some foreign exchange because we do not have the certification process.”
China had been long awaiting an entry into Sri Lanka’s former northern war zone to strengthen its foothold in Sri Lanka, analysts and government officials have said.
Gui Lan Hatchery was its first project in the North, a project that’s being touted as assistance to revive the livelihoods of northern fishermen. Some legislators in the North, however, have raised concern over growing Chinese presence in the former war zones where India has historically had held more sway given in strong cultural and religious ties.
But fishermen now appreciate the Chinese move mainly because of a lingering Indian bottom trawling issue that has hit their livelihoods hard.
“We have provided over 170,000 small sea cucumbers to fishermen in both Jaffna and Kilinochchi district,” Sri Ganeshan, the officer in charge at the Gui Lan hatchery told EconomyNext.
“There is a huge demand now and many people are waiting to register companies and start sea cucumber farming. The Chinese have been educating us on the technology to produce sea cucumbers and it has been helping a lot of people now.”
Sea cucumbers are considered a delicacy in the Far East, with a majority of consumers in markets like China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Korea, Japan and Malaysia. In China, high quality specimens can occasionally fetch over 3,000 US dollars per kilogram after being cooked.
Demand for sea cucumber in the international market is growing even though it is only now being popularized among the Sri Lankan community. The price of one kilogram of sea cucumber in the international market garners a value of Rs 20,000 to 30,000.
Gui Lan is the first hatchery in Sri Lanka to mass-produce high value sandfish sea cucumber for commercial farming. Most sandfish sea cucumbers are depleting due to overexploitation, and hatchery bred juveniles are given to farmers to grow in their respective farms.
These factors have boosted the drive to grow more sea cucumbers and people like Dhivakaran want to expand their farming because of the return.
“I am going to start breeding sea cucumbers separately from next month,” he said.
The Delegation of German Industry and Commerce in Sri Lanka (AHK Sri Lanka) proudly facilitated the first-ever Sri Lankan delegation’s participation at Drupa 2024, the world’s largest trade fair for the printing industry and technology. Held after an eight-year hiatus, Drupa 2024 was a landmark event, marking significant advancements and opportunities in the global printing industry.
AHK Sri Lanka played a pivotal role in organising and supporting the delegation, which comprised 17 members from the Sri Lanka Association for Printers (SLAP), representing eight companies from the commercial, newspaper, stationery printing, and packaging industries. This pioneering effort by AHK Sri Lanka not only showcased the diverse capabilities of Sri Lanka’s printing sector but also facilitated vital bilateral discussions with key stakeholders from the German printing industry.
Business
Unveiling Ayugiri: Browns Hotels & Resorts sets the stage for a new era in luxury Ayurveda Wellness
In a captivating reimagining of luxury wellness tourism, Browns Hotels & Resorts proudly unveiled the exquisite Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya. This momentous occasion, celebrated amidst a vibrant and serene grand opening on the 6th of June, heralds a new chapter in the Ayurveda wellness tourism landscape in Sri Lanka. Nestled amidst 54 acres of unspoiled natural splendour, Ayugiri features 22 exclusive suites and stands out as the only luxury Ayurveda wellness resort in the country offering plunge pools in every room, rendering it truly one-of-a-kind.
The grand opening of Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort was an enchanting event, where guests were captivated by the melodies of flutists and violinists resonating through Sigiriya’s lush landscapes. As traditional drummers and dancers infused the air with vibrant energy, Browns Hotels & Resorts’ CEO, Eksath Wijeratne, Kotaro Katsuki, Acting Ambassador for the Embassy of Japan and General Manager, Buwaneka Bandara, unveiled the resort’s new logo, marking a significant moment witnessed by distinguished guests from the French Embassy, Ayurveda and wellness enthusiasts along with officials from the Sigiriya area, LOLC Holdings and Browns Group.
“Our strategic expansion into wellness tourism with Ayugiri Ayurveda Wellness Resort Sigiriya symbolises a significant milestone for Browns Hotels & Resorts. Wellness tourism has consistently outperformed the overall tourism industry for over a decade, reflecting a growing global interest in travel that goes beyond leisure to offer rejuvenation and holistic well-being. By integrating the timeless wisdom of Ayurveda with modern luxury, we aim to set a new standard in luxury wellness tourism in Sri Lanka. Whether your goal is prevention, healing, or a deeper connection to inner harmony, Ayugiri offers a sanctuary for holistic well-being” stated Eksath Wijeratne.
Ayugiri encapsulates the essence of life, inspired by the lotus flower held by the graceful queens of the infamous Sigiriya frescoes. Just as the lotus emerges from the murky depths, untainted and serene,
Ayugiri invites guests on a journey of purity and rejuvenation, harmonised with a balance of mind, body and spirit, the essence of nature, echoes of culture and the wisdom of ancient Ayurvedic healing.
HNB General Insurance, one of Sri Lanka’s leading general insurance providers, has been honored as the Best General Bancassurance Provider in Sri Lanka 2024 by the prestigious Global Banking and Finance Review – UK.
The esteemed accolade underscores HNB General Insurance’s unwavering commitment to excellence and its outstanding performance in the field of bancassurance. Through dedication and hard work, the HNB General Insurance team has continuously endeavored to deliver innovative insurance solutions, cultivate strong relationships with banking partners, and provide unparalleled service to customers nationwide. This recognition is a testament to the team’s dedication and relentless pursuit of excellence in the bancassurance business.
“We are honored to receive this prestigious award, which reflects our team’s tireless efforts and dedication to delivering value-added insurance solutions and exceptional service through our bancassurance partnerships,” said Sithumina Jayasundara, CEO of HNB General Insurance. “This recognition reaffirms our position as a trusted insurance provider in Sri Lanka and motivates us to continue striving for excellence in serving our customers and communities.”
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