Big demand for jumbo peanuts in local market

The Grain Legumes and Oil Crop Research and Development Centre, Agunukolapalessa is presently conducting research on large seeded (jumbo) peanut breeding and variety evaluation as there is a big demand for jumbo peanuts in Sri Lanka, said a Grain Legumes and Oil Crop Research and Development Centre Research Officer.

"We have already bred one jumbo peanut variety called 'Walawe'. But farmers have to face lots of problems when they reap the harvest.

Due to the standard weather pattern in Sri Lanka farmers prefer to cultivate short term crops. So presently we are conducting research to breed short term peanut varieties with the support of a peanut breeding centre in India, he said.

There is a huge potential for peanut cultivation in the dry zone specially in Northern and Eastern Provinces.

Earlier we provided 60 kgs of peanut seeds for farmers per a year and now we provide them more than 100 kgs per year.

Grain Legumes and Oil Crop Research and Development Centre, Agunukolapalessa is also conducting research to breed new mustered varieties with the reducing mustered imports.