By: Isuru Parakrama
Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka is expecting to send its first consignment of organic sour (Embul) bananas to Dubai this week, as part of the government’s initiative of establishing banana processing via the Agriculture Sector Modernisation Project, the Agriculture Ministry announced.
In a statement, the Ministry said 12,500 kg of sour bananas will be exported to the Dubai market every Saturday from the Rajanganaya Sour Banana Project, adding that simultaneously, arrangements have been made to export 25,000 kg of organic sour bananas from Jaffna each week.
Harvesting and processing activities will commence tomorrow (03) morning, the Ministry said.
“The Ministry has decided to establish two banana processing zones aimed at export as there is extensive banana cultivation in the Embilipitiya and Sevanagala areas.
Currently, two banana export model villages, Rajangana and Jaffna, have been established by the Agriculture Sector Modernisation Project under the Ministry. In addition, the ministry has instructed the establishment of these two banana export model village projects at the request of banana farmers in Sevanagala and Embilipitiya.
“Accordingly, plans have been made to cultivate the Cavendish banana species in the Sevanagala area and the sour banana species in the Embilipitiya and Hambantota areas. Both of these plantations will be planted on 400 acres of 200 acres initially, and then the Agriculture Sector Modernisation Project plans to expand them to 800 acres,” the statement said.
The Ministry also announced that arrangements had been made to promote the Jaffna sour banana project as an organic crop.
Currently, two sour banana processing centres for export have been established in Rajangana and Jaffna.
The Agriculture Sector Modernisation Project is planning to establish a banana export processing centre in Barawakumbuka or nearby areas after the Embilipitiya and Sevanagala sour banana and Cavendish Banana Projects have started.
