Export agricultural crops earn Rs. 40,000 million in 2013

by P.P.G. Sugathadasa - Thihagoda Gr. Cor

Director General of Department of Export Agriculture W.D.L. Gunarathne said that the Export Agriculture Department expects to export over 40000 metric tons of export agricultural crops this year.

These crop categories mainly include cinnamon, cardamon, pepper, nutmeg, clove, betel, coffee, areca and citronella.

In addition, bark oil and leaf oil of cinnamon, pepperoil, cardamonoil, cloveoil, nutmeg oil and citronella oil also consist of these export items.

The department anticipates earning a revenue of nearly Rs. 40,000 million foreign exchange through all these exports this year. The amount of export in last year was 37,609 metric tons and the overall income was Rs. 35,306 million, Export Agriculture Department sources disclosed.

These crops are successfully cultivated in 14 districts in the island. Cinnamon is mostly cultivated in the Southern part of Sri Lanka and in the districts of Kalutara, Ratnapura, Badulla and also some parts in the Hambantota district while pepper, cocoa, clove, cardamom and nutmeg are grown in Matale, Kandy, Monaragala and Nuwara-Eliya districts. New cultivation, recultivation, products and productivity promotion and also cultivation of high and better yielding crop strains have been included in crop promotion and diversification projects initiated by the Export Agriculture Department at present.

Cultivators are also provided with necessary instructions, proper guidance and more advanced technical know-how for boosting their production capacity departmental sources said.