Programmes to promote cultivating habit

Chaminda Perera

COLOMBO: The Agriculture Development Ministry has launched a series of programmes to promote the cultivating habit among the public who had been made lethargic due to the ineffective agriculture policies followed by the UNP.

Deputy Agriculture Development Minister Siripala Gamlath in an interview with the Daily News yesterday said the Ministry’s latest programme to educate every householder on the importance of growing inter crops in their lands as a means of becoming self-sufficient in food was a success.

More than 40,000 Government servants went on a house to house campaign and educated the public on how they could actively involved in the local food production programme.

“We as a nation should be able to grow what we require locally. To become self-sufficient in food is the path of achieving development,” he said. He said the prices of rice are rapidly decreasing with the influx of paddy harvested in the Ampara district.

“Rice prices would further decrease in March and April with the inflow of paddy harvests from the Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa districts. The Trade and Commerce Ministry and the Agriculture Development Ministry has taken adequate steps to prevent an increase in rice prices as the paddy stocks are arriving to the market.

He denied a report of a fertiliser shortage but admitted there may be some delays in fertiliser distribution. Gamlath said the Paddy Marketing Board will directly get involved in paddy purchases if they are being purchased below the certified price by the private sector.

“I see no reason why the Government should get involved in this process at this instance as paddy is being purchased above the certified price,” he said.