Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the officials of the Agriculture Minister to provide necessary facilities to the farmers for the cultivation of additional food crops for the intermediate season immediately after the harvest of this Yala Season.
He made these instructions at a review meeting held on Monday on the progress of the youth agribusiness villages planned to be implemented in several districts of the island.
This discussion was held at the Agriculture Ministry.
Due to the current drought situation, it is not possible to cultivate in intermediate season cultivation in some areas, but there is a possibility to implement intermediate season in many areas located in several districts such as Hambantota, Polonnaruwa etc. The Minister informed the officials to take steps to cultivate cowpeas and green grams as short-term crops by utilizing the wet soil in the paddy fields after the harvesting of the Yala Season.
So far, green gram cultivation has been successfully implemented in Hambantota district. The crop can yield between 5 to 6 million Kgs. Also, it has been reported that 900 metric tons of Green Gram in Mannar district. The Minister also told the officers to assist in selling the stock of green grams.
The Minister advised officials at Agrarian Development Department as well as Agriculture Department that in order to face a food shortage in the future, farmers should be encouraged to cultivate short-term food crops on all arable land.
The Minister also emphasized that the necessary seeds and other facilities should be provided by the projects and other departments of the Agriculture Ministry.
Agriculture Ministry Secretary Gunadasa Samarasinghe, Agricultural Development Department Commissioner General H. M. A. L. Abeyratne and others also participated.