Flower Collection Centre opens in N'eliya

Lassana Flora, a local flower industry firm, recently opened - what it says is - Sri Lanka's first ever flower collection centre in Nuwara Eliya.

Situated at the Nuwara Eliya Economic Centre, this centre enables both growers and suppliers to bring their flowers to a centrally located point with the least possible expense on transportation, the company said. Strict guidelines will be adopted when accepting flowers to ensure that quality standards are met. The flowers are then packed in plastic containers preserving freshness before they are transported in cooler trucks, the statement said.

"This centre is undoubtedly a boost to the hundreds of small-growers and suppliers in the Nu- wara Eliya district who find both difficult and costly to transport their flowers to distant locations such as Colombo. In the past, about 20% of the flowers received monthly, was discarded due to damage in transportation. We are now in a position of collecting thousands of flowers with speed and convenience and thereby preserving their freshness and quality in the process," said Lassana Flora's Chairman / Managing Director Dr. Lasantha Malavige.

He said the centre will also function as the company's main CSR project, where it will share knowledge and expertise with suppliers on how to fine tune and further improve their growing skills and get the best possible produce.