No Veggie imports needed

Priyanka Kurugala

Vegetable prices may drop speedily soon and hence there is no necessity to import vegetables responding to demands in certain quarters to facilitate vegetable imports to quell the situation of high prices, Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S M Chandrasena said.

The government has taken action to apprise farmers of the need to cultivate vegetables with a relatively short shelf life, he said.

The issue of skyrocketing vegetables has been exaggerated by some who have claimed that vegetable imports alone would meet nutritional requirements, particularly of the younger generation.

Chandrasena said all steps have been taken to overcome the present acute vegetable shortage in the country which has resulted in skyrocketing vegetable prices in the market, The minister said had there not as been a natural disaster, there would not have been a steep rise in the vegetable prices.

He said under the Divi Niguma, programmes were launched to cultivate vegetables in home gardens by the Economic Development Ministry.