Food Technology and Post Harvest Technology

Paddy, Grains and Pulses Production/Promotion Team has formed a working Group under its umbrella to promote and develop appropriate technologies for the processing and value addition of the agricultural products. This Group has inaugurated several action research programmes and project to enhance the value of products such as paddy, maize and pigeonpea and process these products before introducing to the market (Annexure x)The Rice processing,Research Development Centre of the PMB at Anuradhapura, jointly with the food technology division of the DOA has undertaken a programme to produce instant food items of noodles, biscuits, bread etc. by using rice flour The MPCS at palugasdamana. In the Polonnaruwa District has formed a Farmer Company with about 2000 farmer shareholders to deal with processing of paddy into rice and flour and marketing these products on a forward contract basis Action would be taken in the future to develop thes activities through more modern technologies of transport, storage etc.

Paddy, Grains and Pulses Production/Promotion Team is also making arrangements, to organize Farmer Companies in the major agricultural areas of Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Matale, Ampara, Badulla, Monaragala, and Hambantota, Two Farmer Companies of Huruluwewa and Dambulla have entered into a forward contract with the Ministry of Health to suppl maize and soybean requirements of the ‘’Thriposha’’ programme of that ministry. The shareholder members of these companies have been given a training on drying and storage of these products to ensure the quality and standard required by the ‘’ Thriposha’’ stipulations. Farmers in the Minipe scheme have been given a training on appropriate harvesting, threshing and rice cleaning technologies to ensure quality and standard of rice to be marketed.
Dambulla Farmer Company has commenced a programme of drying and storage of B Onion with a viwe to stock this product and release to the market at the appropriate season. The Ministry has also under taken several experiments on dehydration of vegetables and fruits and also the proper transport and storage of these products under the Perennial Crops Development Project. These action research programme would be continued under the Second Perennial Grop Deveiloment Project due to commence in 1998