National Vocational Qualification Certificates (NVQ 3) are offered to 1500 persons engaged in the Palm Toddy Industry for the first time in Sri Lanka.

The Palmyrah Development Board and the National Apprentice Board have taken steps to award National Vocational Qualification certificates to those who involved in the palm toddy industry for the first time in Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, Vocational Qualification Certificates (NVQ 3) were presented yesterday (19) to 1,500 people in the Northern and Eastern Provinces involved in the palm toddy industry after a formal training. In the presentation of the said certificates held at the Ministry of Agriculture under the chairmanship of the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera, certificates were presented by the Minister to 06 people engaged in the palm toddy industry in Jaffna, Batticaloa, Trincomalee and Kilinochchi.

A program was also started jointly with the Bank of Ceylon to grant a loan amount of Rs. 5,00,000 at a minimum interest rate to empower these palm toddy tappers as entrepreneurs.

The National Apprentice Board has provided special training in life safety, risk management and other aspects for these palm toddy tappers.

Minister Mahinda Amaraweera who expressed his views in here requested that these Vocational Qualification Certificates (NVQ 3) be given to those who engaged in the coconut and kithul industry also. Accordingly, the National Apprentice Board said that the syllabus required to provide the same training to the people engaged in the coconut and kithul toddy industry in Sri Lanka has already been prepared.

Currently, there are 11 million palmyra trees in our country, but only 30 percent of them are being used properly. Sri Lanka is the country with the second largest number of palmyra trees in the world. Although India is the first country with the largest number of palmyra trees, Sri Lanka produces the largest number of palmyra-related products. Sri Lanka also has the only palmyra research institute in the whole world.

There is a high demand for palm toddy and palm alcohol in our country in the international market. At present, we export palm toddy and palm alcohol to countries like France, Canada and Dubai and earn an amount of 45,000 dollars annually.

The officials including Dr. Krishantha Pathiraja, Chairman of the Palmyrah Development Board has participated for this occasion.