One of Asia’s largest canning factories, Anuorn Group in Thailand, will be investing US$ 7.5 million to set up a fish canning plant and a dry ice factory in eastern Sri Lanka. Anuorn Group Thailand Chairman and Thai Overseas Fisheries Association president Aphisit Techanitisawad said that the company already visited Sri Lanka last March and the project has been accepted by the International Trade Relations Ministry, according to the Daily News. Techanitisawad said the company initially plans to market about 80% of its products in Sri Lanka and the rest to the region, but will look into exporting to the EU as well. The company will focus on providing top-level training and technology to fishermen, the lack of which, it said, is the reason Sri Lanka still imports so much fish. In addition, fish prices in Sri Lanka too are high and we hope our entry to the country would be a game changer for the fishing industry,” he said. Anuorn plans to partner with about 600 fishermen who have their own boats and “provide them modern equipment, technical assistance, training and come to a forward agreement to buy their catch,’ which eliminates the middle man and gives both parties a better price. The company said it will be adding over 1,200 jobs to the Sri Lankan economy and hopes to make Sri Lanka a major exporter.
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