More fruits and vegetables in the North

By Dhaneshi YATAWARA

Opening of the Kalmadu Tank The new appearance of the Kalmadu Tank

An estimated 186,023 farmer families are now living resettled in all the five districts of the Northern Province. Paddy production in the province has increased drastically after the end of war.

The production was 81,953 metric tons of paddy in 2009 and it increased to 128,415 metric tons the next year and in 2011 the production increased to 280,375 metric tons, according to the office of the Northern Province Governor.

The annual requirement of the paddy in the Northern Province was 158,620 metric tons. Accordingly the province has started supplying its surplus to other parts of the country.

"With the government intervention for linking abandoned land under cultivation, production of paddy, other field crops, vegetable and fruit has been drastically increased during the past 3 years," said Northern Province Governor G.A. Chandrasiri speaking to the Sunday Observer'. The beginning of the new era towards self sufficiency of the regained Northern Province was marked by the opening of the repaired Kalmadu Tank of the Kilinochchi district.

At the end of the war the total abandoned paddy lands were 183,299 acres. Yet today the total asweddumised extent for paddy cultivation is 247,405 acres.

However, the crop production had suffered a heavy loss in 2010/11 Maha season due to unexpected heavy rain. The Ministry of Agriculture supplied 42,536 bushels of seed paddy and 114,520 kilograms of other field cross seeds to the flood affected farmers.

The heavy rain fall in the Maha season damaged other field crop grown over 31,150 acres. And 1,750 acres of vegetable cultivation was damaged at the same time.

Vegetable crops such as low country and up country vegetable crops are cultivated in Northern Province. The extent and production of these crops have increased significantly with the intervention of the Government.

Income

"Cultivation was started during later part of year 2009. The harvesting was started in 2010. Therefore farmers have been able to get the income from 2010," explained Governor Chandrasiri.

"The farmers had the problem of selling their produce during the conflict period. After its end, they have been able to send their produce to other parts of the country.

In respect of the paddy sector the millers from other parts of the country have started coming to the Northern Province and are buying the paddy. As a result the paddy farmers have been getting a relatively higher price than earlier.," he added.

In respect of other field crop sector concerned, farmers who are engaged in red onion cultivation have been able to send their produce to the Dambulla and Colombo markets and get a higher price.

With regard to vegetable crops, the fluctuation of price with the season has been reduced significantly. The vegetables are now being transported to and from the Northern Province with the season. The vegetable farmers have been able to get a relatively stable income due to the development of market net work and free flow of goods.

Fruit crops like Mango, Banana, Jak, Lime, Orange, Grapes and Guava are promoted in the Province. Banana and Grapes are cultivated at a commercial scale. As a result of new market opportunities available to the farmers, the farmers who are engaged in this cultivation can send their produce to any part of the country and increase their income.

Covering loss

Replacement of the lost productive assets of the affected farmers in resettled areas greatly contributed to the revival of the cultivation in abandoned land.

As of now there are 594 four wheel tractors and 748 two wheel tractors in the North provided by the Government to upgrade the agriculture sector. Water pumps, drip irrigation systems etc were established by the Government through the local agriculture offices across the province. "The development process continues and we, with the support of the Government continues to establish such supportive services to the local farmers," Chandrasiri added.

A fruit collection, processing and sale centre has been constructed in Jaffna to the value of Rs. 27 million with the objective of creating a better market to the fruit producers of the Northern Province and develop the fruit sector.

This centre is linked with the fruit growers and facilitates the better fruit plants management in homestead level in order to get better the quality fruits. This centre is promoting value addition of fruits and link with private entrepreneurs in marketing. Grape collection centre is also developed in Jaffna to achieve the same objective in grape cultivation and promotion.