Sri Lanka to export 50,000 MT of rice this year

Sri Lanka will join the band of rice exporting countries by exporting 50,000 metric tons of rice this year as an initial step. It is hoped to increase rice exports to 200,000 metric tons by 2016.

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said that the country has now attained self-sufficiency in soya beans, green gram, maize and big onion seeds in addition to rice because the masses have joined in the cultivation of rice as well as subsidiary food crops and seed production with dedication and vigour.

Several strains of paddy have been identified through research, as ideal for growing locally. They are BG 352, BG 360, AT 362, BG 94/1 and AT 306. According to officials of the Agrarian Services Department, an increased harvest could be obtained from these varieties by using carbonic fertilizer. Several areas with a high potential for the cultivation of these varieties have been already identified in the Mannar, Ampara, Polonnaruwa, and Hambanatota districts.