Mahaweli zones show significant increase in paddy production

Uditha Kumarasinghe

COLOMBO: The paddy production in the Mahaweli zones have shown a significant improvement during the 2005 Yala and Maha seasons.

According to figures, the average yield in Mahaweli systems in 2004-2005 Maha season was 5.42 Metric tons per hectare, an Agriculture, Irrigation and Mahaweli Development Ministry spokesman told the Daily News yesterday.

This is a considerable improvement of paddy production within Mahaweli systems when compared with the country's average paddy yield of 3.96 Metric tons per hectare,he said.

He said the total land area brought under paddy cultivation during 2005 Yala and Maha seasons was 150,598 hectares.

According to the spokesman, during the 2005 Yala and Maha seasons, the Mahaweli systems have recorded a total paddy production of 707,836 Metric tons. This is 22 per cent increase of the country's national paddy production.

During 2005 Yala and Maha seasons, a total of 94,020 hectares of paddy have been cultivated in Mahaweli systems including Udawalawa area. Together with other food crops, 185,459 hectares of lands have been cultivated in Mahaweli systems during year 2005. Compared with previous year, this is a 9 per cent increase of the yield, he said.

A large number of farmers in Mahaweli systems have cultivated additional food crops. Thus, 41 per cent increase has been recorded in 2005 when compared with the previous year.

Meanwhile, high quality seed paddy is being produced in all Mahaweli systems to meet the demand in and outside Mahaweli areas. The total seed paddy production in 2005 was 193,170 bushels.