Northern development :

Govt embarks on Palmyrah research in North

Chamikara Weerasinghe

Steps are currently being taken by the government to uplift the palmyrah industry in the Northern Province with a Palmyrah Research Plan, to take the industry to a global platform. Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry sources yesterday said steps are currently underway to enable the industry to access global export markets, sources at Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry yesterday said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa emphasized the importance of developing the Palmyrah plantation sector in the North.

“The Palmyrah industry which in 1995 due to the terrorist war in the North, is now on the verge of being upgraded to a global platform,” said Secretary of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development Ministry V Sivagnanasothi.

“The ministry has formulated a comprehensive Palmyrah Plantation Research Plan to be implemented in 2012 on the guidelines of the Economic Development Ministry.”

Meanwhile, moves are under way to open the Palmyrah Research Institute in Kaithadi, Jaffna, which was defunct from 1995 due to the situation of war.

Sivangnanasothi said they will be able to start functions of the Palmyrah Research Institute in Kaithadi before the end of March, 2011.

“Most of the construction has been completed. Government has spent Rs 21 million for the renovation and reconstruction of the building, “ he said. “The Palmyrah Plantation Research Institute will get research equipment worth Rs 70 million. The government of India is to provide funds for this under Indian Small Grant Development Programme,” he said. He said about the Palmyrah Plantation Research Plan, that it was prepared with the support and the guidance of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

“It is envisioned to introduce preservation techniques for palmyrah based products such as palmyrah pulp and jaggery,” he said.

It seeks to develop value added products and new products such as vinegar, charcoal, soft drinks, and cordials.

”We want to ensure maximum utilization of palmyrah resources to get access to the global export market with our products,” he said.

“We expect a tremendous outcome from the palmyrah industry in terms of employment generation in the North,” he said.