"There were weaknesses visible in the delivery systems which are now being transformed," he said. "It is timely for business to step in and do business." Key areas include rice milling and dairy farming.
"We don't have a proper rice mill in the eastern province," Wijewickrema said. "All the paddy goes out of the province for milling. This provides an opportunity for the business community."

Wijewickrema was speaking at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce to announce the launch of an agricultural trade exhibition, 'Ag-Biz East', aimed at linking the region's farmer with business.

The July 16-17 event to be held in the eastern port town of Trincomalee is organized by the National Agribusiness Council and the United States Agency for International Development with provincial government support.

About a quarter of the island's paddy land is in the eastern province, seen as very fertile and ideal for farming as much of it was abandoned during the 30-year ethnic war. The conflict ended last May, resulting in an economic revival in the region as well as the rest of the country.

Wijewickrema said the revival of tourism after the war also provides opportunities for the region's farmers to cultivate the crops that will be needed to supply food for the anticipated influx of tourists.
Several new hotels are to be built in the east which is known to have some of the island's best beaches.

"Hotels will need agricultural products like meat and fish, all of which will have to be provided by farmers in the east," Wijewickrema said.

"The milk collection network had been damaged. After the war we recovered 80,000 heads of cattle and handed them back to their owners.

The private sector can link up with the government to set up milk collecting, chilling and processing centres.