The delegation from the Sri Lanka–Canada Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce met with the Sri Lanka Association of Saskatoon (SLAS) to explore collaborative opportunities in food security, animal feed production, agricultural technology, and resource development. The meeting was chaired by Mr. M. Hameez, President of the Sri Lanka–Canada Business Council, together with Mr. Kula Sellathurai, President of the Canada–Sri Lanka Business Convention, and attended by Mr. Jeewantha Gunasekara, President of the Sri Lanka Association of Saskatoon (SLAS), along with several business and professional representatives from both countries.
Discussions centered on how Sri Lanka can align with Canada’s Indo-Pacific strategy and position itself as a strategic commercial and logistics hub for trade, research, and technology. Both sides highlighted Saskatchewan’s role as one of the world’s leading exporters of lentils, pulses, wheat, canola, and potassium, supported by large-scale, zero-till agricultural practices. These strengths provide a foundation for future collaboration in the areas of fertilizer supply, sustainable agriculture, animal nutrition, and food processing. SLAS emphasized the urgent need for advanced technology, R&D, and policy support to modernize the livestock, animal feed, and agricultural sectors, while exploring how partnerships with Canadian research institutions and agri-tech companies could help bridge these gaps.
It was also noted that Sri Lanka’s Port City and industrial zones can serve as strategic bases for joint commercial ventures, facilitating value addition, technology transfer, and exports to wider Indo-Pacific markets. Further collaboration opportunities were discussed in oil refining, sea-based resource extraction, and freight and logistics development.
Both parties agreed to continue their engagement through a structured framework. SLAS will prepare a policy and technology brief to guide collaborative initiatives, while Canadian partners will share information on research centers, agrifood technology institutes, and investment prospects. The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen economic ties between Sri Lanka and Canada, enhance bilateral cooperation in agriculture and food security, and transform these discussions into tangible, commercially viable projects that benefit both nations.
