Agro Technology Park in Weerawila

Uditha KUMARASINGHE

COLOMBO: The Agriculture Department has taken steps to set up a full-fledged Agro Technology Park (ATP) at Bataatha, Weerawila.

This is a fulfilment of another pledge given to people in Mahinda Chintana that the Government will directly intervene to immediately develop all State owned farms.

The construction work of this first ever ATP is now in progress at Bataatha seed farm premises. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is scheduled to declare open this agro park by the end of July this year, an Agriculture Development Ministry spokesman told the Daily News yesterday.

"Bataatha seed farm which spreads nearly 196 hectares land area had been completely abandoned over the past several years without taking any advantage. The total land area of the farm also consists of five lakes."

Under the project plan formulated, the ATP is being constructed in a 66 hectares land area of the farm. Arrangements have been made to provide agricultural knowledge and other required facilities to the people who go to Kataragama sacred city as the park is close to Kataragama-Colombo main road, the spokesman said.

The ATP will also provide lodgings to tourists and also provide food and beverages to the people. Sales outlets will be opened within the park premises to promote indigenous and unique food varieties among both locals and foreigners, he said.

The Agriculture Department intends to create model fruit and vegetable gardens and animal farms in this park premises utilising new technologies which will assist farmers to achieve economic development.

Therefore the ATP will be a display of the new development of country's entire agriculture sector. It will cover key major areas on seed production, research farm and education and training, he said.