'Import duty on potatoes increased to protect local farmers'

Ishara Mudugamuwa

The government has increased the import duty on potatoes by Rs 10 to protect local farmers, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane said.

He said that on a request made by him, Cabinet approval was granted to increase the tax at the Cabinet meeting on February 29.

Local farmers have to spend Rs 48 to Rs 52 as cost of production for a kilo of potatoes. Therefore, the price in the local market of a kilo of potatoes is Rs 70, he said.

The Agriculture Department has estimated a yield of 46,000 metric tons of potatoes only from Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts in the harvesting season at the end of February. According to the Census and Statistics Department, the total potato production in these two districts was 50,965 metric tons in 2009/2010. It was 7,622 metric tons in the 2010/ 2011 season.

The total potato production in 2009/ 2010 was 51,294 metric tons and the extent cultivated was 3,784 hectares. Potato production in 2008/2009 was 60,840 metric tons and the extent was 4,017 hectares, the minister said.

"With the introduction of new technologies for farmers and enhanced seed production, we could achieve this success," he said.