Go green to make Sri Lanka self-sufficient in Ginger

Go Green Limited, an Agro Forestry Management Company has planned to set up ayurvedic herb and forestry plantations in Sri Lanka.

There is a growing demand for Ayurvedic herb products worldwide as people are looking for natural remedies to cure many ailments and also to maintain beauty and live healthy.

Sri Lanka has ideal conditions for growing many of the herbs. As at present more than 60% of the local consumption of Ayuruvedic herbs are imported to the country and as a result a huge sum of foreign exchange is drained out. In 2008 2,196,650 US$ was spent on Ayurvedic herb imports. (Source: Department of Ayurveda)

Go Green Ltd initially plans to fill the local supply gap and meet the world demand subsequently.

Go Green have already planned to initially plant ginger in one hundred acres to make Sri Lanka self-sufficient in Ginger in the year 2011.

Considering the production trends in the world, India, with over 30 percent of the global share, now leads in global production of ginger, replacing China, which has slipped to the second position (20.5 percent), followed by Indonesia (12.7 percent), Nepal (11.5 percent) and Nigeria (10 percent).

The company’s aim is to make Sri Lanka self-sufficient in ginger and subsequently to be a major exporting country.

There is a growing demand for Ginger (Zingiber officinale) locally as well as internationally. In 2008, Sri Lanka has produced 8.27 Metric Tonnes, but 450 Metric Tonnes was imported. The demand for ginger always exceeds the supply in both local and International market.