Sri Lanka's first ever food certification firm took off with the signing of an agreement between Ind-Expo Certification Ltd and Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA). Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen and Norwegian Ambassador Hilde Haraldstad and and, witnessed the MoU signing between Ind-Expo Certification Ltd and SLTDA, joined by Dr. Taizo Nishikawa, the Deputy to the Director-General of UNIDO. Norway is pleased to support Sri Lankan industries and tourism sector on improved environment friendly technologies and cleaner production says Ambassador Haraldstad. 

The Norwegian funded, UNIDO facilitated project aims to promote food safety within the chain of tourist hotels in Sri Lanka, and the non-profit firm Ind-Expo Certification Ltd, jointly with Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) will implement the food safety inspection and grading system to assure food safety to the customers.

Ind-Expo Certification Ltd is the non-profit private firm specially formed for food certification in the country. The first ever such venture in Sri Lanka, Ind-Expo will supervise local food quality using standards administered by the Chartered Institute of Environment Health (CIEH) of UK. 

The UNIDO Colombo office's venture is under the auspices of Ministry of Industry and Commerce with $ 1.33 Mn funding from the Norwegian government through UNIDO.

(Norway.lk)