Free maize seeds, urea fertilizer for farmers in three districts

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the Small Scale Agricultural Entrepreneurship Participation Programme (SAPP) under the Agriculture Ministry to provide facilities for the cultivation of maize in three districts this Maha Season. Accordingly, the free distribution of hybrid maize seeds required for the cultivation of 40,000 acresof maize in the Hambantota, Anuradhapura and Moneragala Districts began from yesterday where maize seeds were distributed at the Angunakolapelassa Agrarian Service Center with the participation of Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday morning.

Production of meat, eggs and milk was hampered and the prices of these products went up last year, due to lack of maize required for animal feed. Because of this, the government had to import eggs from India. Due to the shortage of animal feed, many animal production farms were closed.

Considering this situation, the Agriculture Ministry decided to expand maize cultivation to increase the production of animal feed needed to increase animal production in Sri Lanka. It was planned accordingly to cultivate 40,000 acres of maize under this project alone in this Maha season under the SAPP project.

Accordingly, under the financial allocation provided by the IFAD, arrangements have been made to provide the Pacific variety, a high-quality hybrid maize variety imported from Thailand at a cost of Rs.360 million.Maize seeds are distributed among the farmers free.

Also, 800 metric tonnes of urea fertilizer required for maize cultivation has been ordered so far and it is planned to give the same urea fertilizer to the farmers growing maize free.

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