High-density cultivation method, technology key to tea high yield – Minister

Agriculture and Plantation Industry Minister 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 tea yield.

The Minister made an observation tour to the Welipanna Peragaswatta high-density tea plantation last Friday (16).

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 6,500 tea plants are planted per acre according to the normal tea cultivation method, 13,000 tea plants can be planted under this high-density cultivation method. According to the traditional method, only 300 kgs of tea leaves can be harvested from one acre, but under this method, a high yield of 1,500 kgs of tea leaves can be obtained.

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

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. 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 President Ranil Wickremesinghe while presenting the Budget, 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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