The Government, under the leadership of His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, is taking several initiatives to strengthen the cooperative sector, including steps to amend the existing cooperative laws. The Northern Province should make full use of this favorable environment to revitalize the cooperative sector and restore it to its former glory, emphasized the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province, N. Vethanayahan.
The Food Security Conference, organized by the Northern Provincial Cooperative Development Bank, was held today – on Saturday (08 August 2026), at Thanthai Selva Hall in Jaffna, under the chairmanship of the Chairman of the Bank, Dr. Akilan Kathirkamar.
The Hon. Governor made the above remarks while attending the event as the Chief Guest and addressing the gathering.
Continuing his speech, the Governor noted that the cooperative sector in the Northern Province was at the forefront of the country during the 1970s and 1980s. However, he said that the sector subsequently suffered a significant decline due to various factors, including the prolonged conflict.
He further stated that the Government is currently pursuing a firm policy to transform the cooperative sector into a key pillar of national economic development, emphasizing that this presents a valuable and timely opportunity for the Northern Province to revitalize and strengthen its cooperative movement.
Expressing confidence that the Government will provide its full support to strengthen the cooperative movement in the Northern Province, the Governor stated that this is the opportune time for cooperatives to expand their activities and play a greater role in production, marketing, and the overall economic development of the Province.
Noting that food security has emerged as a major global challenge, the Governor pointed out that factors such as climate change, armed conflicts, and fluctuations in the global economy are having a significant impact on food security.
He further emphasized that the field visits, training programmes, and discussions conducted by the Northern Province Cooperative Development Bank over the past three days, in collaboration with the Australian High Commission, are highly significant in developing sustainable solutions to these challenges through the cooperative sector.
Expressing his satisfaction that paddy production in the Northern Province has exceeded the targeted level by more than 100 percent this season, the Governor attributed this achievement to the adoption of modern agricultural practices.
However, he pointed out that farmers continue to face various challenges in marketing their produce. He further noted that despite private traders purchasing paddy from farmers at relatively low prices, the retail price of rice has not correspondingly decreased.
Stating that both farmers and consumers are being adversely affected, while middlemen reap the greatest benefits, the Governor said that the cooperative sector has the potential to transform this situation and establish a fair market that benefits both producers and consumers.
However, he noted that the cooperative movement has yet to fully realize its economic potential and emphasized that various practical measures are currently being taken to address this situation and unlock the sector’s full potential.
The Governor stated that the possibility of linking cooperative societies with the student meal programme currently being implemented in schools is also being explored. He further revealed that plans are being prepared to revive factories that were established in the past but are currently inactive, and that steps will be taken to implement these plans in the near future.
The Governor stated that cooperatives should look beyond the domestic market and prepare to engage directly in export activities. He expressed confidence that this objective could be achieved in the future through strengthened cooperative production and market development.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Northern Province Cooperative Development Bank, Dr. Akilan Kadhirkamar , noted that His Excellency the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has set a target of increasing the country’s economic growth rate to 7 percent. At the same time, he stated that the Hon. Governor of the Northern Province has set a target of increasing the Province’s contribution to the national product from the current 4.5 percent to 10 percent.
He noted that seven key economic sectors have been identified in the Northern Province as having the greatest potential to contribute towards achieving this target, all of which are directly linked to the cooperative sector. Therefore, he expressed confidence that strengthening the cooperative movement could significantly increase the Province’s contribution to national production.
Representatives of cooperative societies, cooperative administrators, officials, and cooperative members from various parts of the Northern Province participated in the event.
