Sri Lanka is now moving on correct path after its organic farming and back firing chemical fertiliser ban of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa towards averting the food crisis through its massive cultivation drive presidential secretariat sources revealed.
The initiative to encourage crop planting as part of boosting local produce has been launched, whilst promoting cultivation in state owned baron lands.
The utilisation of 5,000 hectares of land in Moneragala, Kotiyagala and Kabilitta for farming was discussed on Wednesday, as a precautionary measure for the food crisis Sri Lanka is expected to face in the future.
The discussion was held at the Presidential Secretariat under the patronage of the President’s Senior Adviser on National Security and Chief of Presidential Staff Sagala Rathnayake.
Although nearly 8,000 hectares of land in these areas were owned by the Forest Department for reforestation, it has been decided to commence afforestation activities in only 3,000 hectares of land in which saplings have already been planted.
The temporary distribution of the remaining 5,000 hectares of land amongst farmers for cultivation until the necessary facilities for reforestation were prepared was also discussed at length.
It was also focused, during the discussion on the possibilities of releasing a certain extent of land for cattle rearing on a temporary basis.
The Forest Conservation Department and Heads of other related institutions were also advised to seek counsel from the Attorney General’s Department regarding the legal issues that may arise in carrying out these activities.
Meanwhile the Government is initially planning to harvest paddy only in 248,000 hectares, but the farmers expressed confidence in the cultivation of 275,000 hectares and by the end of the Yala season a record 512,000 hectares of paddy was cultivated.
“As 512,000 hectares of was cultivated over two million tonnes of paddy would be harvested and after milling, we can get around 1.5 million tonnes of rice, enough to feed the country for over six months,” Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.
Last year, maize production was 90,000 tons. Farmers have worked to cultivate 111,000 hectares of maize this year,” he said.
The Minister also said the country can achieve a dry chilli yield of 4 million kilos per acre by giving priority to cultivation, adding that a program has been initiated targeting youth communities to adopt modern technology and hybrid cultivation methods at present. Minister Amaraweera also said the country is almost self-sufficient in green grams, kurakkan, cowpea, and peanut production, whilst noting that the type of peanuts imported to cultivate jumbo peanuts is now being done locally.
