High density crop method and new technology to increase tea yield in SL

The Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industry Mahinda Amaraweera advised the Small Tea Estates Development Authority and the Tea Development Authority to promote the high density cultivation method and new technology in the tea cultivation system in order to increase the yield from tea cultivation in this country.

Last Friday (16) in the morning, the minister observed the Welipanna Peragaswatta high density tea plantation.

Under the guidance and funding of the Small Teapot Development Authority, this seven and a half acre plantation, which has been cultivated using the high density cultivation method as well as the Drip Irrigation water technology, has yielded a very successful harvest.

Although 6500 tea plants are planted per acre according to the normal tea cultivation method, 13000 tea plants can be planted under this high density cultivation method. Also, according to the traditional method, only 300 kg of tea leaves can be harvested from one acre, but under this method, a high yield of 1500 kg of tea leaves can be obtained.

Also, because new technical equipment can be easily used for picking tea leaves, human labor is not required.

Therefore, farmers can increase their income by five times. It is also special that this intensive tea cultivation can be done with minimum amount of water and minimum amount of fertilizers.

The Small Tea Estate Development Authority and the Tea Development Board have currently implemented 52 such model tea cultivation projects successfully.

Also, financial assistance of one million rupees per acre has been given to those growers and the money has been given without recovery.

Maximum yield can be obtained from a minimum amount of land and a high quality tea yield can also be obtained through this. Therefore, the minister advised the chairpersons to encourage them to introduce this high density tea cultivation system to other growers and to take steps to expand these activities in 2024.

As stated by the Honorable President Ranil Wickramasinghe while presenting the budget document, the minister said that his aim is to add new technology to the agriculture and plantation sector in the year 2024 and also mentioned that all officials should be dedicated to get the maximum yield from the cultivated land.

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