North records highest growth rate

by A.S.M. Irshad, Colombo Fort Correspondent

"While all provinces in Sri Lanka recorded double digit growth rates in Provincial Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2011, the Northern Province recorded the highest growth rate of 27.1 percent, in nominal terms, the Statistics Department of the Central Bank highlighted in a report released recently. The contribution of the Northern Province to the GDP had increased from 3.4 percent in 2010 to 3.7 percent in 2011 due to the expansion in agriculture, fishing, construction, transportation and financial services.

A few months ago, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa called upon the Department of Agriculture to explore the possibility of increasing dry chillie production in the Dry Zone.

At the same time the Minister called upon Governor - Northern Province G.A. Chandrasiri to increase the land extent by at least 500 acres in this season commencing March this year.

Among these new chillie growing villages, the Karyalainagpaduvan (KNP) farm plot of 20 acres is directly cultivated by the Department of Agriculture with the support of the Land Commissioner's field staff who are either agriculture graduates or agriculture diploma holders.

The chillie planting ceremony in the first plot at KNP village was held on March 25 with the participation of the Chief Secretary, R. Wijialudcumi and Provincial Agriculture Secretary, Northern Provincial Council U.L.M. Haldeen.

Thereafter, many farmers took to chillie cultivation in this village.

The Department's attempt in chillie farming has produced a successful result in the KPN village - altogether 20 farm plots of five acres each in extent, also newly brought under chillie cultivation in the KNP village in Poonagari division have been converted into a sustainable livelihood of the many resettled refuges in the Poonagari division.

As directed by Economic Development Minister and Governor, Provincial Agriculture Department, the Northern Province has initiated action in the entire province to increase the chillie cultivation extent by adopting different strategies.

Abandoned farm lands were identified and the resettled farmers were called upon to take to chillie cultivation despite the prevailing drought in the province, the Provincial Director of Agriculture has completed clearing land on 57 acres in Vavuniya, Cheddikulam, by the side of Kallaru and handed it over to 40 chillie growers for cultivation during the Maha 2012 season.

Twenty acres of abandoned chillie grown lands were identified in each district in the Northern Province and the land was prepared by the Department.

Muththuiyankaddu in Mullaitivu and the Milazhipalacholai village by the side of Periyamadukulam in Mannar district and Kilinochchi Karikalainagapaduvan village in Poonagari division accounted for 500 acres of new cultivation of chillie implemented by the Provincial Ministry of Agriculture in 2012. The strategy is to promote the chillie cultivation among young farmers with the participation of elderly farmers in the villages in the district.