POIA Re-Elects Founder Office Bearers To Continue Advocacy In National Interest

Says it has presented facts to President in expectation of pragmatic solution to oil palm ban. Projects significant saving in forex outflow for imported palm oil, if local production allowed to grow

Business leaders pledged to continue their advocacy in the national interest, on behalf of Sri Lanka’s beleaguered palm oil industry with the re-election of the founder office bearers and a committee of the Palm Oil Industry Association (POIA) for a second two-year term at the apex body’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) last week.

Re-elected POIA President Dr. Rohan Fernando disclosed that representatives of the Association had met President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to present their appeal for a pragmatic solution to the impasse created by non-scientific opposition to the cultivation of oil palm that had led to the president announcing a ban on further expansion of the crop, placing an Rs. 26 billion investment in jeopardy.

“We have presented the facts that respond to the environmental and other concerns expressed by critics, and elaborated on the economic potential of the industry in terms of supporting the government’s efforts to conserve foreign exchange through import substitution, and to generate better wages for plantation workers,” Dr. Fernando reported.

The office bearers and executive committee re-elected for 2020-22 comprises of Dr. Rohan Fernando (President), Vish Govindasamy and Sajjad Mawzoon (Vice Presidents), Oshadhi Kodisinghe (Secretary), Ravi Jayatilleke (Treasurer) and Gayan Samarakone, Bhathiya Bulumulla, Lalith Obeyesekere, Thishan Karunasena, Manjula Narayana, Manoj Udugampola and Binesh Pananwala.