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by L. B. Wijayasiri and Kandy District Group Correspondent

Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister S. B. Dissanayake said at the opening of the new Economic Centre at Katugastota in Kandy that, under the 'government's 100 days development program' steps would be taken to stop importing of some agricultural products like vegetables, fruits and cut flowers. As a result of that, the prices of those items might go up a little but it would be temporary. Despite that the producer would be benefited and in the long run it would help improvement of the economy and local production.

This Economic Centre constructed at a cost of Rs. 111 lakhs with the help of the Asian Development Bank by the Bahu Warshika Boga Project of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Kandy Municipal Council. It was constructed at Menikkumbura in Katugastota to which the vegetable and fruit wholesale sections now housed at the Central Market Kandy has been shifted.

Central Provincial Development Minister Tissa Attanayake, Kandy Mayor Harendranath Dunuwila, Provincial Councillor W. P. B. Dissanayake and Kesara Senanayake, Deputy Mayor Z. A. W. Razik and Municipal Commissioner Mrs. Jayantha Bulumulla participated in the opening ceremony officiated by Minister Dissanayake.

Minister Dissanayke added that the government had drawn up plans to a number of specific steps towards the development of agriculture and livestock in the country with the view to improve the living standards of the producer, and the country's economy and also to ensure a reasonable price for the consumer. Steps would be taken to minimise the import of rice, vegetable and other agricultural products, importing of which had affected the local producers.

He said that 30 per cent of local vegetable and fruit produce wee being wasted in the traditional process of packing and transporting. Therefore it had become necessary to introduce modern systems of packing and transporting in order to save the produce and make way for the producer and the dealer to get a better in come. Another problem faced by the producer as well as the consumer in this country was that the cost of producing, in comparison to India was very high and that had to be remedied by introducing suitable methods.

Central Province Development Minister Tissa Attanayake said that the Economic Centre like the one now functioning at Dambulla were introduced on a concept of the UNP to enable the producer, wholesale dealer, retail dealer and the consumer together. That system would help the producer to fetch a reasonable price for his produce while the consumer would help improve the country's production.

Kandy Mayor Harendranath Dunuwila, Municipal Commissioner Mrs. Jayantha Bulumulla, Deputy Mayor Z. A. M. Razik, President of the Kandy Central Market United Traders Association, Priyantha Pinnaduwa and President of the Sri Waishakadana Sangraha Samithiya R. G. Ariyasena also spoke. 

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