I take great pleasure in issuing a message on the occasion of launching a much needed web site for the CFC of Ministry of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development.

It should be noted that the turnover of CFC was Rs. 68 Mln in May 2010 at the time I took over the Ministry. The total sale by the corporation was Rs. 185 Mln per month at that time. However over the last six (6) months the sale of fish has been tremendously increased with the quality by 100% ensuring 370 MT per month. And the value of it is Rs. 137 Mln which is also a 100% increase. The CFC has been able to reduce the losses which they have been sustaining over the period gradually. And now is in the process of making profits at least the breakeven.

The CFC had been selling around 7Mt a day then. However the CFC is now able to sell around 15 – 20 Mt a day at present.

The fish industry mafia which is operating at present at high sea, Ministry is in a process to controlling same and also irradiates the mafia.

The number of CFC outlets has been increased from 48 to 84 and planning to establish 250 stalls all over the island at the end of 2011. In the meantime fish is supplied to 152 Sathosa sales outlets, and economic centers all over the Sri Lanka. It has been the idea that CFC to operate at profits at the same time to supply fish at 50% reduced price to consumers in near future. The frozen packeted fish production for August 2010 achieved 46.68MT with liaises to Lak Sathosa outlets and it is 47.13MT per year in 2009 without the Lak Sathosa liaise. The frozen packeted fish production indicates clear achievement recording 62.5MT in March 2011. Fish prices in general have been reduced by 8% to 22% during the period, after I took over the office and hoping to increase the situation.

Plans are been carried out to purchase 90 fish boats for CFC in order to increase the fish harvest in CFC, which leads to provide protein sufficient fish at low price, increase the fish consumption, decrease the price of fish via market competition under CFC’s intervention.

By establishing mini CFC sales outlets at Co-op cities, Sathosa outlets all over the island, rural consumers are able to buy good quality fish at lower prices as well as urban consumers. Van sales which been arranged also helping to shape the same aspect.

The revenue of every CFC outlet are been increased from 2.5 – 4.5 Mln at present. The fisheries industry is stepping to a new era. And in the future CFC outlets are designed to provide marine water fish as well as fresh water fish.

My aim is to increase the local fish production of 339,730 Mt which was at 2009, up to 400,000 Mt at end of 2011, and increase the production at Eastern coast up to 43%, Deep Sea and Offshore production up to 194%, and fresh water aquaculture up to 100%, and win the international waters.

A mega projects are designed to achieve the inland fisheries and aquaculture production up to 98,000 Mt at 2013 which is now at 46,560 Mt and increase the total production up to 686,000Mt per year.

Presently we are planning to make the Mahinda Chinthana Future Vision a reality by enhancing ocean recourse. And when HE the President make country become the Wonder of Asia, Fisheries Industry be the Wonder of Sri Lanka.

Rajitha Senarathne
Minister of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development

With Great Pleasure this message is being issued to the Web that is prevailed by the Fisheries Corporation.

It is our responsibility and mission to manage those resources for the present and future generations wants and needs.

Being parallel to that aim and mission keeping the economic and social status of the country and citizens of it is the main aim of “Mahinda Chinthanaya”. For that I wish the success of the attempt that bear to enlighten the consumer generation of Sri Lanka.

Yours Faithfully,

Susantha Punchinilame (M.P)
Deputy Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic resources.

It is my pleasure to send a message in connection with the launch of the re-developed CFC website.

With the dawn of peace, Sri Lanka is developing rapidly to become the “wonder of Asia” under Mahinda Chinthanaya of H.E. the President Mahinda Rajapaksa. In line with Mahinda Chinthanaya, Hon. Dr. Rajitha Senarathne, the Minister of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development envisages that fisheries sector would be one of the “wonders” in the Sri Lankan economy, and also to eliminate malnutrition from the country by increasing the fish consumption among the general public.

Therefore, to fulfill his vision, the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation (CFC) has launched a programme of action to provide fish at a competitive price through their retail stalls, Laksathosa outlets, Co-op City outlets and Economic Centers. In order to expand the distribution of fish island wide, CFC is planning to set up 250 sales outlets by the year 2013. Up to now 76 new retail outlets have already been established throughout the country. Besides that, CFC is also providing fish to all government hospitals at a reasonable price since 2009.

In 2009 the total fish production was around 340,000 metric tons. and is expected to increase by two fold by the year 2013. The planned induction of modern technology is expected to further enhance the efficiency of fisher folks and to improve their living standards. In this connection the new CFC website would undoubtedly help this effort through user friendly dissemination of information to the end users, especially fisher folks.

By re-developing CFC website it is expected that wide ranging information would be available to the general public on production and marketing of value-added fish products such as frozen and fresh packeted fish, packeted filleted fish, purchase, distribution and marketing of fish, provision of cold storage, blast freezing and fish processing facilities, production of block ice and sales and operation of wholesale and retail fish sales outlets island wide etc.

Let me wish the CFC all the very best in their endeavour.

Dr. Damitha de Zoysa
Secretary
Ministry of Fisheries & Aquatic Resources Development

According to the strategic business plan of CFC based on the Corporate plan for three year period from 2011 – 2013 and especially the budget for 2011, adding 200 new fish outlets in selected areas to its existing outlet network while combining them together to achieve corporation business objectives as Market Leader of the industry. The privileged contribution of CFC to the Sri Lankan fish market was around 0.79% and the CFC was able to increase the same to around 1.3% after the establishment of new management. The CFC being a self financing entity is proud that it had secured a turnover of Rs. 1.312 billion as against the turnover of Rs. .912 billion in 2009 which is 40% increase and is mainly attributed to the strategic policies adopted by the new management. According to the accelerated programme the CFC is planning to increase its contribution at least by 3.7% in the end of 2011, which is expected through new outlets including sale of different varieties fish product such as dried fish, canned fish, Maldive fish etc.

The main goal of this programme is to develop a healthy future generation equipped with more nutrition value through a higher consumption of fish as stated in MAHINDA CHINTHANA. The entire business campaign has to be focused on “Adding Nutrition” which is the pay of line in the campaign “Best fish at Best Price” will goes as the slogan of the business. The required guidance and support to the CFC is assured by the HE the President, Hon. Minister, Hon. Deputy Minster and the Secretary to the ministry thus making the implementation of Activity Plan of CFC much easier in the current period.

In the overall context the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation is targeting an impressive sales prediction of Rs. 4.2 billion for 2011 and cost of sales of Rs. 3.3 billion thus ensuring an approximately Rs. .876 Mln gross revenue. It is intended to achieve ultimate net profit of over Rs. 150 million for the year.

The pricing policy of Ceylon Fisheries Corporation was determined in order to ensure affordable prices to consumers which are much below the average market prices. If not the predicted revenue would have been more than Rs. 5 billion. The ultimate expectation of “CEYFISH” is to distribute the nutrition value of fish among the nation through quality fish at lowest price with a 100% consumer protection to the consumer’s doorstep. This would ensure the fulfilling of CFC’s responsibility towards the general public by assuring quality fish at an affordable price freely available at stalls throughout the island.

Making an official website of CFC was a long overdue need, which should be able to provide a comprehensive information network and knowledge base to general public and others who concern. Accordingly, I am confident that this website would provide a long felt need of information and data base to the general public and also provide vital and salient information of the Vision, Mission, and Objectives of the CFC being the premier commercial fishery organization to be an apex body of the industry.

I extend my sincere wishes for launching of web site which is to be taken place shortly.