Introduce post harvest methodologies to develop quality rice, other crops - Minister of Agrarian Services

The imported varieties of rice such as 'Basmathi' is of quality. The promegranate or apple fruit being imported contains farm freshness and is of high quality. We have been an agricultural country which had exported rice to the foreign countries in the time of our kings.

The National Agencies which deal in food processing and pre and post-harvest technologies should introduce proper and advanced methodologies suitable to our country to achieve the required quality in paddy rice in and other corps, said Siripala Gamlath, the Minister of Agrarian Services.

He was addressing a gathering of farmers, traders and the public after opening a new building complex of the Institute of Post Harvest Technology, Anuradhapura which comes under the Ministry of Agricultural and Agrarian Services Development.

The new building complex consists of a well-equipped laboratory, library, hostel facilities for 70 persons and a auditorium with advanced facilities. The expenditure incurred for the new building is Rs. 28 million.

The Agrarian Services Minister said, the Institute of Post Harvest Technology could be of immense service in promoting the Agriculture Development Sector of the country which face the challenge of successful implementation of the Government's food drive. "Let's grow-let's develop the country."

He said, the paddy being produced in the North Central Province should be processed into quality rice which could attract the local and foreign customers.

The fruit and vegetable harvests too should be protected without allowing it to go waste. In this venture, the IPHT, Anuradhapura could intensity its training programmes and workshops covering a wider range of educated village youths, experienced farmers, housewives and field officers in educating them with new and simple technology, pertaining to food processing.

The Minister said we purchased rice from India to reduce the price increase of local rice but it didn't work out. In India, today, even a kilo of rice of low quality costs Rs. 40 or more.

As such the only solution and the alternative to gaining self sufficiency in food is to develop our food production strategies in par with the other developed countries to make the food drive a success.

North Central Province Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake said that at present the prices of maize in the world market had gone up at the rate of Rs. 42 per kilogramme in comparison to Rs. 25 in previous years.

In Anuradhapura district, the farmers were being encouraged to grow more maize in the ongoing Maha season.