Ornamental plant growers facing hardships

Ariyapala Wansathilake - Kurunegala Central special

Ornamental plant growers in Dodangaslanda area are facing hardships for want of a market for their produce, a large scale ornamental plant cultivator of Rambadagalla in Dodangaslanda electorate, M W Nonis told the Daily News.

He said a large number of cultivators in Dodangaslanda area are depending on the sale of ornamental leaves.

"Many officials inaugurate projects to carry favour with the political authority for their personal gain.

"The officials who implemented the project and promised to provide a remunerative market for our produce are not concerned about the predicament", Nonis said.

He said, he started to cultivate ornamental plants in 2004. Since then he had only four buyers.

Ornamental leaves dealer of Wariyapola Kadapatwehera, P A Jayatunga said the officials hold meetings and waste our time without finding solutions to our problems. The Senior Officer attached the Department said the main reason for the decline of the project is the shortage of buyers and the agreement between the exporters and the Agriculture Department has expired.

The Wayamba Provincial Agricultural Department and several other private banks provide the technical knowledge and monetary assistance to grow ornamental plants as a self-employment venture.

The leaves of ornamental plants are exported.