Abandoned paddy lands cultivated

Senior Advisor to the President Basil Rajapaksa MP initiated a programme under "Nagenahira Navodaya" to cultivate 100,000 acres of additional land during Maha 2008/2009 in the Eastern Province to enhance paddy production.

Out of this 43,000 acres of abandoned lands have been already sown in Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts, said Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Production and Development, Rural Industries Development and Fisheries, Eastern Province, A.R.M. Mahrouf.

These abandoned lands are paddy lands that have not been cultivated for the past five years due to conflict situation in the area. Action was taken to provide assistance either for land preparation or issue seed paddy free to motivate farmers to cultivate these abandoned lands.

The target of abandoned lands to be cultivated under this programme was 42,631 acres, which consists of Trincomalee 14,974 acres, Batticaloa 10,191 acres and Ampara 17,466 acres.

Although rains commenced late this season in mid October, nearly 100 per cent of the targeted abandoned lands have been cultivated. While assistance was given in terms of land preparation for 6,104 acres and seed paddy issued to 17,974 acres (52,210bu of seed paddy) other farmers were motivated and they have commenced cultivation in 18,671 acres with their own input as well as with assistance from NGOs and INGOs.

The programme is expected to boost paddy production by additional 163,400 mt which will be harvested in February next year.