'Farsighted economic policies help overcome food crisis'

The farsighted economic policies adopted by the Government enabled people of Sri Lanka to overcome the food crisis encountered by most other countries in the world said Irrigation Minister and Government Deputy Chief Whip Jayatissa Ranaweera.

The Minister was addressing a meeting after opening a dam built at Parakaduwa under the Nagaha Ela Flood Protection Scheme to save arable land belonging to nearly 50 farmer families from floods during the rainy season.

Ranaweera said the Government with great foresight had given farmers all encouragement to cultivate all crops possible in all available land and as such harvests had increased to unprecedented levels averting any possible food crisis.

According to the country's geographical position and climatic conditions it had more potential for agricultural rather than industrial development.

Eheliyagoda Pradesheeya Sabha Vice-Chairman Premaratne Malkekula the Minister's Private Secretary R.M. Somapala and several others also spoke.