'Insurance scheme needed for agro seed sector'

A A L Dias- Matale district group corr

Central Provincial Council's Deputy Chairman W M Yasamana urged the government to launch an insurance scheme for the agro seeds production sector, during a workshop held at Galewela Agrarian Service Centre participated by big onion farmers.

He noted that an insurance scheme is introduced only for food crops cultivation, disadvantaging seed farmers. Yasamana added that big onion seeds producers are in difficulties without proper facilities for cultivation. The country's annual requirement of big onions can be produced in this area easily if farmers have enough facilities, he stressed.

The farmers at present produce only 40 percent of the annual requirement.

At present we are importing more than 50 percent big onion seeds from India, which are low in quality, he added. Due to bad weather experienced within the last few months the big onion seed production programme weakened and the anticipated target was not met, Yasamana pointed out.