By Maheesha Mudugamuwa
The Agriculture Ministry has commenced an initiative to facilitate and promote the export of high quality rice, Agriculture Ministry Secretary Wijeratna Sakalasooriya said.
The Ministry has chosen Ampara, Mannar, Hambantota and Polonnaruwa as rice export zones to achieve the target of exporting 200,000 metric tonnes by 2015, he said.
Sakalasooriya said that steps had already been taken to cultivate appropriate rice varieties in those zones.
Sri Lanka had already exported nearly 15,000 tonnes of rice to West Asia, he said.
Sakalasooriya said that rice varieties which had medicinal value such as Heenati, Suvandal, Pachchaperumal, Veda Heenati and Kuruluthuda had been selected as ideally suited for export zones. In the first phase of the programme rice would be exported to West Asian and European markets.
The government would provide all assistance to the farmers and the private sector to boost the export drive, Sakalasooriya added.
According to the Ministry the total extent expected to be covered under the first phase of the programme is 62,000 hectares annually, comprising 30,000 hectares in ‘Yala’ season and 32,000 hectares in ‘Maha’ season with improved varieties and traditional varieties, organic rice would be promoted in the areas.
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