UTE launches ‘Grow Your Own Food’ home gardening

Continuing in its mission to be the best engineering
services provider in all the markets they serve, United Tractor and Equipment (Pvt)
Limited (UTE), recognizes from its 75-year history that being the best means looking
after their people. Continuing its mission UTE inaugurated its ‘Grow Your Own Food’
cultivation initiative on the 13th of September 2022. The project is designed with the
aim of facilitating employee welfare and gearing them with skills that are required to
overcome any possible food shortage in the future. In consideration of the ongoing
economic situation in the country, this would further help UTE employees with
sustainable means of food production. The launch of ‘Grow Your Own Food’ was
graced by the Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka Ms. Julie Chung as Chief
Guest, along with representatives of The American Embassy and The American
Chamber of Commerce in Sri Lanka (AMCHAM).
The initial stages of the project commenced in June 2022 with the overwhelming
support of all UTE employees at the UTE Head Office in Wattala, where a large area
was assigned for cultivation.
The collected harvest from the project will be distributed amongst the 325+ employees
on a quota basis according to their needs, allowing them to benefit directly from the
fruits of their own labor. In order to ensure the success of the ‘Grow Your Own Food
initiative’, UTE has enlisted the support of Agriculture Officers in developing the
project and has plans to expand the project throughout its facilities island-wide.
Accordingly, the ‘Grow Your Own Food’ initiative constitutes UTE’s latest move to
meaningfully contribute to employee welfare by ensuring that its employees remain
self-sufficient during this present time of need, by encouraging all staff employed
throughout the company to engage in home gardening to meet their food needs. Not
only will this initiative provide employees with much-needed ease of access to food,
but it will also deepen their family engagement and happiness, enabling them to enrich
both their professional and personal lives.
As part of this initiative, UTE launched a children’s art campaign under the theme
‘Home Garden,’ where children of UTE employees painted their own home gardens.
Using the collection of art submissions, UTE created an art wall which was also
unveiled by Ambassador Chung at the launch event.
Addressing the gathering at the launch, Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka
Ms. Julie Chung commended the project, “Through these home gardens that you are
developing, you are not only planting seeds; you are planting seeds of hope, seeds of

victory. And I hope more companies follow your lead. You are setting that example for
others to follow so that others can also offer solutions that provide relief. Thank you all
for your dedication, for your service, and for the love for your country.”
Commenting on UTE’s initiative, Prasan Fernando, Chairman of United Tractor and
Equipment (Pvt) Limited said, “As a longstanding presence in Sri Lanka’s business
landscape, over the years UTE has made its mission to contribute to the communities
we serve in. We are very pleased and proud to launch the ‘Grow Your Own Food’
initiative at this moment in time, given the uncertainty of possible food shortages
around the world and the uncertainty we as Sri Lankans are facing. UTE has
continued to place the utmost importance on contributing towards sustaining the
wellbeing of our employees and our communities, and with this latest initiative to
encourage home gardening we aim to enhance their standards of living to meet the
challenges of today.”
Representing over 75 years of engineering excellence, UTE has continuously
delivered high-quality engineering solutions across a wide range of disciplines in Sri
Lanka and around the world. The UTE Parts Store/PCC (Parts.Cat.Com) is the
fastest, easiest, and most reliable website to find and order over 1.4 million genuine
CAT® parts online. As the sole authorized Caterpillar dealer in Sri Lanka, UTE also
offers retail distribution of CAT® Lubricants. Orders can be placed 24/7 with the
mobile-friendly interface and the parts will be shipped to any location in the island or
can be picked up from any of UTE’s branches. The company is home to the Island’s
most experienced and largest team of Customer Support personnel and Caterpillar-
trained technicians in the industry. Serving customers throughout the island, the
company has branches in Panchikawatta, Matara, Kurunegala, Anuradhapura, and
Kilinochchi adding to its strength.