Third Rs. 65 Mn Sour banana processing plant in Muravesihena

The Agriculture Ministry has decided to set up the third sour banana export processing factory in Hambantota Muravesihena area using a warehouse belonging to the Paddy Marketing Board as there are orders from many countries for sour bananas in Sri Lanka.

Arrangements have been made to start the third sour banana export processing zone covering Embilipitiya, Hambantota and Sewanagala using 800 acres.

The first sour banana export processing zone and processing centre has been established in Rajanganaya. In addition, a second sour banana export processing zone has been established in Jaffna.

The Agriculture Sector Modernization Project (ASMP) of the Agriculture Ministry has taken measures to expand sour banana cultivation to 800 acres in Rajanganaya and 400 acres in Jaffna. Arrangements have been made to start the third sour banana export processing zone covering Embilipitiya, Hambantota and Sewanagala using 800 acres.

A discussion was held on Tuesday (12) at the Agriculture Ministry chaired by Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, Ministry Secretary Gunadasa Samarasinghe, ASMP Director Dr. Rohan Perera, Southern Province Agriculture Ministry Secretary and a group of officials from the Agriculture Ministry participated. The Postharvest Technology Institute is providing the necessary funding for the construction of this Sour Banana Export Processing Centre. The amount spent on it is 65 million rupees. All the machines and equipment required for this processing centre are to be purchased from a locally manufactured company.

At present, an exporter in Dubai has come forward to export pumpkin, cassava and some other vegetables in addition to sour bananas in our country. We have received orders for vegetables and fruits from many countries. Therefore, the Agriculture Minister instructed the officials to complete the construction work of Muravesihena Sour Banana Export Processing Centre by December.

In the third sour banana export processing zone, 800 farmers will be selected and they will be given the high density cultivation method for banana cultivation, technology and technical equipment, business opportunities to buy the harvest of the plantation, all under the guidance of the Agriculture Sector Modernization Project. Minister Mahinda Amaraweera expressed his views: “To make farming profitable in our country, farmers must be motivated to grow agricultural products that are in demand. The agricultural sector should take steps for that. Most of the farmers are resorting to easy crops, so they do not get proper harvest and income. Also, there is no high demand in the market for the harvest.

“That is why farming is always a loss. But we can grow many things that the world demands in our own country. Sour bananas were not in high demand before. But now many countries are asking us for sour bananas. But we can export only if we cultivate according to international standards.

The complete state-of-the-art technology required for that is provided by the Agriculture Sector Modernization Project”.

The Minister also said that every Saturday we send one container of our sour bananas to the Dubai market.

The post Third Rs. 65 Mn Sour banana processing plant in Muravesihena appeared first on DailyNews.