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| Monday, 26 January 2004 |
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Chilaw special correspondent Paddy growers have earned better income by converting many acres of their rice fields to 'Gotu Kola' cultivation in vast areas in Manuwangama, Thissogama, Diganwewa and other villages in the periphery of the Deduru Oya river basin in Chilaw. The traditional paddy cultivators earn much bigger profits through this industry than by cultivating paddy and they earn steadily on a daily basis as lorries from Kandy and Kurunegala come to their doorsteps to buy this commodity of green vegetables which is in great demand, G. Perera from Manuwanagama said. The farmers crop their Gotu Kola cultivation every day and make small bundles for sale. Another farmer M. Kiri Banda said: "I harvest the yield everyday.' As it grows, I get the employees to reap it and the lorries come to the field to buy them." The rice farmers have made a mint of money whereas they had to wait for weeks and months to obtain the yield from the paddy they grew in the past by dint of hard labour. 'This is a good investment for me; and I spend money only for the fertiliser,' the farmer said. 'Of course I water the Gotu Kola plantations and it's easy money than toiling hard to grow paddy. The crops survive the drought and inclement weather. It rarely dies. Therefore, I continuously make money unlike the paddy which once harvested, I had to sow again after a period of time, he added. The buyers who purchase Gotu Kola wholesale at 70 cents a bunch sell it to retail outlets at prices ranging from Re. one and 1.50. The growers also, on the other hand, offer a sum of 20 cents for each bundle to the reapers who harvest and make bundles of Gotu Kola to be sold in bulk. So there's no hassle involved and we make profits everyday. And from each 'Gotu Kola Mitiya' the growers make a clear profit of 50 cents. They thrive in this cultivation because thousands of Gotu Kola bundles are sold every day, the farmers added. These prosperous farmers also sell Gotu Kola bundles to the Chilaw vegetable market vendors as well as other markets in the area. |
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