CIC outgrower program supports maize farmers

by Lalin FERNANDOPULLE

With the onset of rains in October during the Maha season, over 1,000 farmers in Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi and Mannar will cultivate maize under the outgrower program of CIC Agri Businesses, said CIC Agribusiness Managing Director and CEO Keerthi B. Kotagama.

He said that farmers will be provided hybrid seeds, fertiliser and technical know-how to boost productivity. Maize which is an essential ingredient in animal feed will help enhance income of Northern farmers who have resettled in their villages.

Technical inputs will comprise land selection, cultivation techniques and post-harvest technology which will help them to fetch a better price.“Farmers will be helped to market their produce through buy back arrangements.

Farmers who don’t have paddy lands could cultivate maize during Maha season on their uplands and gain an additional income,” he said.

CIC operates similar schemes in the other areas in Rajarata and Uva region with large number of farmers and plays a vital role to achieve self-sufficiency in maize during 2011/12 Maha season for the first time in the country. “Over 500 farmers in the North benefited from the program last year and there will be more opportunities for farmers this year,” Kotagama said.A majority of the low income groups in the North and the East do not consume enough vegetables. CIC has introduced a range of high quality local seeds and hybrid seeds to support farmers to have higher yields and a better income.

Kotagama said that this move will help increase vegetable consumption and boost the income of households.

The CIC Seed and Horticulture Farm at Vellankulam in the Mannar district cultivates vegetables such as bittergourd, snakegourd, pumpkin, okra, chillies, brinjals on a 30 acres for production and demonstration.

He said that plans were in place to introduce vegetable seed production to over 100 outgrowers in the area during the Maha season.

The lack of good quality seed paddy was a major impediment to increase productivity in rice production. During the last season, CIC launched a pilot project to grow and process seed paddy in Mannar with the support of the UNDP and the seed production society in Mannar.

Red onions, the most popular and income earning crop of the Northern farmers is usually planted with ‘seed bulbs’ preserved from the previous season.

Kotagam said that a farmer has to select and store 1,400 kilograms of red onion bulbs for several months to plant the following season. This is costly, consumes space and is risky.

An alternative is to produce four kilograms of red onion seeds (the same as big onion) which is adequate for a hectare. This new technology has been promoted by the Department of Agriculture.

CIC also initiated producing red onion seeds on a pilot scale to identify and develop local and adoptable technology to preserve red onion seeds.

He said that a pilot project with farmers in Trincomalee and Vavuniya was successful. A cold room was set up with financial assistance from the USAID project in Vavuniya to facilitate cooling of onion bulbs before planting as ‘seed crop’ to induce flowering. The company promotes this technology among farmers and now encourages them to use the facility with a fee, to cover energy costs.

“The next seed production will be done at the CIC farm at Vellankulam during the Maha season targeting over 500 kilos initially,” Kotagama said.

The North is famous for grapes in Sri Lanka. Grape cultivation is a good income source for farmers in the North. Cultivation can be improved by introducing new varieties and processing methods to prevent low prices during seasonal gluts.

CIC has planned to set up a vinery in the North and promote highly productive grapes production by introducing new varieties from Europe that are sweeter and suitable to produce wine.Kotagama said that steps have been taken to import quality material. The Department of Agriculture will conduct tests before issuing them to farmers.

“CIC Agri Business has set up two agri service centres in Jaffna and Killinochchi that facilitate new technology to farmers and support sourcing of high quality inputs,” he said.