Wayamba export oriented anthurium project

The project to cultivate anthuriums for export commenced in 2001 by the Export Development Board in the North Western Province (NWP). Tissue Cultured plants generated from specially imported mother plants from the Netherlands by the EDB were distributed among 50 outgrowers.

The outgrowers built net houses with 1,000 plants holding capacity a cost of around Rs. 300,000. The EDB assisted the outgrowers with a grant of Rs. 50,000 each. The EDB also met the maintenance costs of the projects (Rs. 2,000 per month per outgrower) and the cost of extension services for three years.

The EDB also assisted 10 outgrowers to expand their project capacities from 1,000 plants - 2,000 plants, for which the EDB granted a loan of Rs. 300,000 per outgrower at a concessionary interest rate of 3% through the NDB Bank. The EDB has selected 50 new outgrowers under the second stage of the project.

They were provided training by the Royal Botanical Garden, Peradeniya and National Plant Quarantine Service. Financial assistance has been sought from the SME Bank to commence construction work on the Net Houses.

The EDB is also assisting the outgrowers of stage 1 to improve their productivity and profitability by sharing the cost of new production inputs up to Rs. 10,000 per outgrower.