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The Irrigation and Water Management Ministry has taken the initiative to set up the country's pineapple production for the export market under its `One Area One Product' program.

Under this program the Ministry has identified the Wayamba province as a potential area to cultivate pineapple on a mass scale for the international market. It is planning to educate and provide training to growers, exporters, research personnel and government officials in increasing productivity and improving modern technologies in pineapple processing.

Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera addressing a workshop on 'Pineapple' said that pineapple cultivation and the pineapple processing industry are potential income generation activities for the region and his Ministry with the assistance of the Agriculture Ministry would promote pineapple production in the area.

"At present we only cater to about 50 percent of the country's pineapple requirement. Under the `One Area One Product' program we will be able to provide financial and technological assistance to growers, processors and exporters in the area. That will encourage more people to invest in the pineapple production industry. The Industrial Technological Institute will support us in developing new technologies in the pineapple processing industry which would be very useful for investors," Minister Perera said.

Sri Lanka's pineapples have a good demand in the international market due to its superior taste. Pineapples are largely grown in the Waymba province but it has been estimated that the acreage grown for export is diminishing rapidly. One of the main reasons for the decline is blocking out coconut lands for housing schemes.

Under the `One Area One Product' the Ministry is planning to extend cultivation of various agricultural crops and livestock farms in the Mahaweli areas. Agriculture Director G.W. Liyanage said that certain products in different Mahaweli Systems have been identified under the One Area One Product program.

In the Mahaweli System `C' there are 21,000 hectares allocated for the cultivation of seed paddy, B'onion, banana, papaw, maize, inland fish and the production of raw milk. Mahaweli system G, which covers Matale and Polonnaruwa districts have an area of 5,380 hectares suitable for seed paddy, maize and vegetable," Liyanage said.

He said there was much of potential for mass production of groundnuts in the Mahaweli system G. "Mahaweli System H has an area of 31,850 acres suitable for B'onion, banana, soya, chili, gherkin and seed potato. A part of the Kurunegala district belongs to this area where there is potential for pineapple cultivation.

The Mahaweli lands in Udawalawe are ideal for a variety of crops including red rice and banana," Liyanage said. (C.K)

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