The government has decided to innovate and develop the Thriposha Company, located in Kandana and managed under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, to fulfil the nutritional needs of the nation’s people while maintaining it as a continuously operating government-owned institution.
This information was revealed during a discussion held last Saturday (04) between the Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, and the relevant officials regarding the current status and future development activities of the Thriposha Company in Kandana.
“Steps to innovate and develop the Thriposha Company while maintaining it as a continuously operating government-owned institution”
The Minister stated that previous governments failed to implement systematic and targeted plans to develop this nationally significant Thriposha production institution and deliver its full benefits to the public. Consequently, the people were deprived of the institution’s potential advantages. Addressing this issue, the current government aims to transform the Thriposha Company into an active institution catering to the nutritional needs of the people of the country.
Furthermore, the Minister mentioned that the previous government had decided to shut down this Thriposha production institution.
The Minister of Health and Mass Media inspected various operations of the Thriposha Company, including the raw material warehouse, production processes, machinery operations, packaging activities, quality management tasks, and the company’s new products. Additionally, the Minister held discussions with the company’s chairman, board of directors, management team, and staff regarding the factory’s progress so far, current operations, future development plans, increasing production capacity, introducing and promoting new products, and addressing staff-related issues.
The Minister emphasized the need to create a sustainable mechanism for the company to purchase maize and soybeans from local farmers and entrepreneurs, thereby encouraging and integrating them into the company’s supply chain. He noted that the current supply chain of the company has collapsed and pointed out the importance of the Ministry of Health intervening to establish a systematic method for distributing Thriposha products.
The Minister further stated that, instead of shutting down the Thriposha Company, the government is committed to transforming it into a profitable institution owned by the state, operating under a structured development plan to enhance the well-being and nutritional needs of the people of the country.
As of January 4, 2024, the Thriposha Company of Sri Lanka allocated Rs. 11 million from its Rs. 165 million profit surplus (exceeding 30% of profits) for the fiscal year ending 2023 to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization, and National Policies. The corresponding cheque was handed over by the Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, to Ms. N.J. Pathirana, Deputy Director of the Department of Public Enterprises at the Ministry of Finance.
The event was attended by Member of Parliament Stephanie Fernando, Director General of Health Services Dr. Asela Gunawardena, Chairman of the Thriposha Company Deepthi Kularatne, the company’s board of directors, relevant ministry officials, and representatives of the company’s staff.
