'Food import bill - a major burden in the future'
The food import bill would be a major burden in the future though we
think that the fuel bill is a major burden on our resources, said
Chairman, National Agribusiness Council Sarath de Silva at the launch of
the project CAB, a community and Business Development Initiative.
He said that 100% of our corriander, 90% mustard, 85% green gram 90%
potatoes and 76% onions are imported while rice, dhal and black gram are
also on the list.
Therefore, our foreign exchange and the rising cost-of-living is
unbearable and we are breeding physically weak, a mentally inactive
nation due to the lack of a balanced diet. De Silva said that when
global warming, fuel and fertiliser crisis and depleting water resource
is challenging global food production, the NAC has a major role to play
and the concept of the farmer association developed by the past
president of NAC is most welcome.
President, The Federation of Farmers' Councils Sri Lanka Asoka
Gopallawa said that project CAB will open new vistas in the sphere of
agribusiness in Sri Lanka. The functioning of the operating centres of
the Farmer Federation will pave the way for the Corporate sector to
interact with rural farmer communities effectively sharing their
strengths and taking a leading role in driving the rural economy.
The operating centres will provide information on prices and the
availability on vegetables and other crops to be made known instantly to
any location in the country thus enabling the prospective buyer to make
the correct decision.
The regional officer manning the operating centres will inform the
NAC Secretariat in Colombo of any possible disease conditions to crops
and seek expert opinion on how to tackle the problem. The simple use of
a camera phone will make it possible for a picture of the affected plant
to be sent to Colombo via email.
The operating centres will be provided with motor-cycles, computers
and CDMA phones to make it possible to function as effectively as
possible.
The regional officer will be a youth from the area who will know the
area as well as the crops produced in the area.
Farmers can go to him for any help. The operating centre will also
conduct workshops and training programs organised by NAC.
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