New high yielding maize for Uva

Vajira UMAGILIYA Uva Wellassa group corr

A new low cost high yielding Indonesian strain of maize has been introduced to the Uva Province farmers engaged in chena cultivation.

The new variety has been successfully cultivated in experimental plots at the Maha Ilukpallama and Angunakolapelessa model farms.

A special feature of this variety is, each plant produced two to three pods of corn at a time. Agricultural officials from Uva and Southern Provinces have already visited Indonesia in two stages and undergone intensive training in the cultivation of this new maize variety.

A team of Indonesian officials recently visited Uva and held wide ranging discussions with Provincial officials led by the Uva Chief Secretary regarding the cultivation of this new maize strain under a program jointly sponsored by UNDP Art Gold Sri Lanka and Art Gold Indonesia.

Indonesian Agriculture and Food Security Department Secretary Gorontota province Nurdin Happy said the climate in Hambantota district and the Uva Province ideally suited the new maize variety.

His department was ready to provide the technical know-how to popularise this variety in Sri Lanka.