No fear or suspicion to engage in farming, Jaffna farmers tell President

The Jaffna farmers told President Mahinda Rajapaksa that there is a good opportunity to engage in their livelihoods without fear or suspicion. They expressed these views when the President visited grape orchards at Thiramalei in Jaffna yesterday.

As the news of the President's arrival spread, people in large numbers flocked to the grape orchard where the President was having a discussion with farmers of the area.

The President while having a cordial discussion with the people also tasted grapes from the orchard.

The President explaining the government's plans to safeguard the farming community, said his prime objective was to uplift the lives of the farmers by protecting local farmers.

He said a number of progarmmes have already been put in place by the government for the betterment of farmers to make this initiative a reality.

The grapes are successfully grown in the dry zone areas of Jaffna and Vavuniya and farmers receive a considerable income by cultivating grapes. Though the cultivation was witnessed a backward trend during the war, has boomed again with the dawn of peace in the country. As a result of the war, a large sum of money was wasted on importing grapes.

It is reported around Rs 450 million is spent annually for import of grapes.