Move to enhance agri-food

A district cultivation development program will be launched in the Anuradhapura district to enhance the agri-food production. The food production decreased crippling farmers' economy resulting from recent floods.

Development initiatives were discussed at the Anuradhapura district agriculture committee meeting held recently.

Anuradhapura District Secretary H M K Herath said that it was to be decided whether the Yala season be advanced in few months considering farmers' situation and the availability of water storage in tanks.

He said otherwise an intermediary cultivation turn could be programed prior to Yala cultivations starting from March/April. The District Secretary said about 90 percent of paddy and other cultivations was destroyed in the district apart from the devastation of medium and minor irrigational tanks.

Irrigation and agriculture officials pointed out that if a middle cultivation season was declared there could be a difficulty in securing seeds and planting materials.

Farmer organization representatives requested the officials to take action to offer a reasonable period to settle cultivation loans and issue fresh loans to face the forthcoming cultivation process.

Anuradhapura Deputy Agrarian Services Commissioner R M K R B Ratnayake said a 20,000 acre vegetable cultivation program was to be launched in mid March.