Budget has focused on raw material for exports
Indunil Hewage
The 2012 budget has completely focused on the production of raw
materials for exports and even rice will be for the first time an export
product with priority. Much emphasis is given for the production of
export based raw material for both agri and industrial sectors, Sarath
De Silva of the National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka, said.
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Sarath De Silva |
riority is given for self-sufficiency in food production and import
substitution in green gram, ulundu, black gram, peanuts, sesame and
maize, by increasing the cess on imports in the budget. The increase of
cess on red chilies, curry powders, etc. will encourage people to get
into local production. Hence those members who are in the agri business
will definitely take part actively. Exporters appeal from the government
to allocate land and make it convenient to obtain, not only for small
holders, but to exporter based companies, large parcels of underutilized
and unutilized land which will make it possible for people to get into
production of industrial and agri based raw material.
“The government’s ambition to make Sri Lanka a rice exporting economy
would be a positive step in the face of changing global environment with
global weather calamities. It should be the prime responsibility of the
Quarantine Department and the Agriculture Ministry to facilitate the
private sector, without imposing undue pressures, to import suitable
glutinous, long grained paddy seeds until we multiply it ourselves so
that we could replace the Basmati and the Thai fragrant rice and
introduce, to the world, a new brand called “Lankamathi”. De Silva said.
He also added that affiliated to this should be the approval of soil
enhancing and organic or balanced material, to achieve higher yields, so
that the Northwest and Ampara Districts which are considered rice bowls
of Sri Lanka, will produce rice suitable and, palatable to the whole
world.
The Divi Neguma initiative to distribute coconut plants to one
million households, means 15,625 acres of new coconut are going to be
ready in three years to be harvested.
The increase of cess on imported vegetable oils will protect the
local coconut industry and the exporters of fish, meat, eggs and milk
will be given assistance and even fresh water oyster production is also
encouraged, he said. |
