July 18, 2012

Kiyomura Corporation to invest in Sri Lanka aquaculture

Kiyomura Corporation - a major Japanese fishing firm is planning to invest in Sri Lanka's fishing industry, which will include fresh technical knowledge beneficial to the industry, according to the Fisheries Ministry.

Chairman Kiyoshi Kimura of Kiyomura Corporation made this announcement at a recent media briefing where he added that he has experienced the potential of the Sri Lankan fishing industry and has decided to make this investment, reports The Daily Mirror .

Kimura will abe providing the technology for Sri Lanka to conserve fish, breed them and the latest methods of catching fish. He added that he will be investing in a factory complex to manufacture equipment for the fishing industry and thereby reduce the cost of fishing.

"I personally witnessed the fishing activities in the North Western Province and the Southern Province as well. Also, I was able to see the operations at the Peliyagoda Central Fishing Complex, fishing harbours, fishing export processing centres, fishing boat manufacturing complexes etc." he said.

Kimura is of the view that for the fishing industry to be further developed, the latest technology needs to be introduced to the fishermen and also Sri Lanka should produce the equipment required for the industry locally.

"Fishing needs to be done keeping in mind the quality standards which need to be maintained. We need to provide the technology and the skills for the local fishermen to do that," he pointed out.

The Japanese investor further stated that value added fishing products need to be exported in order to increase the foreign income earned by the industry and also said that he plans to introduce the latest technology which will enable the local fishermen to increase their catch.

"We need to go about fishing without endangering the sea or its resources. We also need to increase the amount of breeding fish. That way we will be able to conserve the fish in the sea," he explained.