Farmers’ Week to begin in Vavuniya

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

The National Farmers’ Week 2011 will be held at the Government Seed Farm in Vavuniya from August 1 to 5.

The National Agriculture Exhibition will also be held during the week. The opening ceremony of the Farmers’ Week and the Agriculture Exhibition will be held on August 1, under the patronage of the Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne.

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane said that the main objective of the Farmers’ Week in Vavuniya is to promote modern agriculture technologies among farmers in the North as their knowledge was not updated during the past 30 years due to the war.

“Northern farmers are using their own methods of farming. They give priority to organic farming. The Agriculture Exhibition will be a great opportunity for us to get an idea about their farming methods,” he said. The minister said Northern farmers are keen on agriculture as they receive good price for their produce. If they have good knowledge of modern agriculture technologies, they can increase their production and get a good profit, he said.