Sri Lanka’s war-torn east beckons business

May 19, 2010 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's eastern province is recovering rapidly from the effects of war and provides opportunities for business, especially in agriculture, a senior official said.



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.

Eastern province governor Mohan Wijewickrema said the region's civil administration has been restored after being battered by years of war.

"There were weaknesses visible i