Bulath Arunella bring sunshine to Gampaha betel growers

Samantha SURAWEERA- Gampaha South Group corr.

Betel growers in Gampaha are reaping a good income thanks to Bulath Arunella. Market facilities arranged by the Bulath Arunella program under the Sri Lanka-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement arranged in 2006 has helped cultivators sell their products at higher rates.

This has also enabled them a direct opportunity to deal with exporting their crop.

Most farmers in Gampaha district grow betel as cash crops.

The Export Agriculture Department in collaboration with other authorities decided to expand betel cultivation in the district under the Bulath Arunella agriculture development scheme.

Cultivators said that the village level committee system adopted by Bulath Arunella and the district organization formed with the membership of the committee should be properly conducted for cultivators to make a good income selling their products at higher rates.

There are 50 committees in the Gampaha district with a membership of about 2,000 cultivators.