The Sri Lanka–Canada Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce met with representatives of POS and undertook a factory visit to explore potential collaboration opportunities. POS, now owned by Bioriginal, is a global ingredient and process-technology company specializing in protein, oil, and starch extraction, as well as plant-based bioprocessing for a wide range of industries. During the visit, the Council discussed how several Sri Lankan agricultural feedstocks remain underutilized and emphasized the importance of enhancing value addition rather than exporting raw commodities.
The discussions highlighted POS’s advanced expertise in extraction and product development technologies, which could be leveraged for Sri Lankan crops. Specific opportunities identified included the antiviral potential of water extract from cinnamon, development of protein, oil, and starch-based products, exploration of algal oil as a future growth area, and the promising prospects of avocado oil production and export. It was also noted that Sri Lanka has strong potential to process and export concentrates of tea and other tropical fruit extracts to Canada, building on its agricultural strengths and global reputation for high-quality natural products. The team further observed how models such as provincial government support for the canola industry in Canada could inform similar initiatives in Sri Lanka.
The delegation was joined by Mr. Thushan S. Withana Gamage, Principal Scientist and Adjunct Professor, who provided valuable technical insights into extraction technologies and product development during the discussions.
