Lands for Fruit & Vegetable Cultivation in Northern & Southern Provinces to be Released in Three Months

07th January 2011, www.dailynews.lk, By Indunil Hewage

All the uncultivated lands in the Northern and Southern provinces are to be released in three to four months to the private sector for vegetable and fruit cultivation. Measures are also being taken to increase the quantity of Sri Lankan fruit and vegetable production to be more competitive in the world market.

“The Economic Development Ministry has established a special scheme to release these lands for fruit and vegetable cultivation. Accordingly, we hope to make use of around 50,000 acres of uncultivated lands in the Southern province for the cultivation,” National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka President Sarath de Silva told Daily News Business.

Recently the Government has allotted land in rural areas for the private sector to revive the agriculture industry. Several companies have submitted applications to the Economic Development Ministry and to the Board of Investment to obtain these lands to commence cultivation.

It is also planned to utilize uncultivated lands in the North Central Province to grow onions, potatoes and red chillies as the country spends Rs 3.5 billion to import these three food items annually.

He said Sri Lankan vegetable and fruits need to be high-tech and organic in order to increase production quantities. Private sector investments in the vegetable and fruit production sectors have to be encouraged to achieve US $ 20 billion total exports revenue target in the country. “Sri Lanka’s fruit and vegetable industry has been earning around Rs 3000 million annually. But we do not have sufficient production to export our products.

We need to increase our quantities to acquire a satisfactory share in the world market. In addition a 80 acre new farm in Hambantota has been set up to cater to the demand of increasing tourists arrivals to the country and surplus production in the farm is to be exported,” Silva said.