Fruits and Vegetables, 4th Largest Revenue Earner for Sri Lanka, Brings Rs 3000Bn

23rd November 2009, www.dailynews.lk, By Suraj Bandara

The export of fruits and vegetables has become the fourth largest revenue earner for the country after tea, rubber and coconut. The fruit and vegetable industry has been earning over Rs.3,000 billion annually with a 96 percent local added value, said IFCO, Chairman, Sarath de Silva at a seminar at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on Thursday.

He said that despite many challenges such as cost of imported fertilizer, imported hybrid seeds and agro chemicals, work in small units and produce products; Sri Lanka has made a firm entry to the markets all over the world.

The chamber will expand the fruit and vegetable business all over the world since there is a considerable demand for fresh fruits and vegetables. By 2015, the chamber targets a revenue of $10 billion and $20 billion in 2020.

He said Sri Lanka's pineapple is considered the tastiest fruit in the world and the demand is so high that we cannot meet it. Having dismissed the misconception that pineapple is only grown in the Gampaha district, the Chamber has used solar green to grow pineapples in Polonnaruwa on 200 acres. Plans are under way to grow pineapple on 200 acres in Ampara. When pineapples are grown in all parts of the country we will be able to meet the demand in the world market.

The other products in demand from Sri Lanka are passion fruit, tapioca in frozen form, red lady papaya fresh and dehydrated form, rock melon, muskmelon, Thai guava, dragon fruit, Rambuttan and avocado. Since mangoes can be grown successfully in less than seven countries, we can secure this market with a high variety of mangoes that could be exported fresh, dehydrated and in juice form, he said.

De Silva said traditional vegetables have expanded its horizon with the introduction of hybrid seeds, which produce bell peppers, zucchini, marrow, pumpkin and tomato. We also grow 14 varieties of Lettuce including iceberg, curly, butter head and lollo rose. There is an increasing demand for leafy vegetables such as kankun, gotukola and mukunuwenna in the world. We hope to introduce Kiwi, which can be grown in the hill country.

Sri Lanka is getting ready for an era of chemical free organic agriculture. As Sri Lankans we should be happy that Sri Lanka is a highly resourceful country that can virtually grow anything, he said.

Image: Sarath de Silva - Chairman, IFCO