Considering the shortage of Keeri samba in the country, Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera advised the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) to implement a Keeri samba cultivation project for seed paddy in the Hambantota district.
Accordingly, the PMB started a Keeri samba cultivation project for seed paddy on 500 acres in the Hambantota district with the financial allocation of the Farmers’ Trust Fund this year’s Yala season. Although it was planned to cultivate 1,000 acres of Keeri samba, the cultivation project had to be reduced to 500 acres due to the difficulty in finding Keeri samba seed paddy.
The PMB provided 310 farmers with seed paddy and other inputs required for Keeri samba cultivation.
Prior to this, Keeri samba cultivation was not popular in the Hambantota district and now a large number of farmers are engaged in Keeri samba cultivation.
The Keeri samba cultivation project started by the PMB was observed yesterday (12) afternoon by Minister Amaraweera, in the Aluthwewa area of Angunakolapelassa.
The harvesting of this plantation is scheduled to be done next week and the whole crop is planned to be bought by the PMB, its Chairman Buddhika Iddamalgoda said. This Keeri samba harvest is planned to be distributed among the farmers in the form of seed paddy.
Meanwhile Minister Amaraweera instructed the PMB Chairman on Friday (12) to make arrangements for the cultivation of 2,000 acres of Keeri samba in the Hambantota district in the coming Maha season.
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