Winds of change mark economic revival

by Shirajiv SIRIMANE in Trincomalee

The once sleepy town of Trincomalee is slowly becoming a hive of development activities. The liberation of the Eastern Province and the elections have brought back peace to the area and also investors.

The fishing industry, suffered a lot during the past few decades as there was a ban on deep-sea fishing due to security concerns. “We are ashamed to admit that there was a time when we had to bring fish from Chilaw to Trincomalee,” said the Chamber of Commerce, President Raja Ram Pillai. “People were selling their boats to find alternative livelihoods,” he said.

He said with the restrictions being taken off Trincomalee fishing community today is in a position to provide fish to the South.

“However, one of the main problems the fisher folk are facing is the lack of cold room facilities which takes off their bargaining power,” he said.

This is a serious issue that has to be addressed soon.

The Sri Lanka Navy lifted all fishing restrictions imposed on the island’s coastal waters on June 20.

The measure was taken as a step towards bringing normality to the area after the end of 30-year terror rule.

Following the lifting of all fishing restrictions in the island’s north, over 200% growth in the fish harvest has been reported from Mannar and Trincomalee districts.

According to the statistics collected by Sri Lanka Navy, 229% growth in fish harvest and 155% growth in number fishing boats went out to sea for fishing have been indicated for 14 days.

There are over 35,000 active fishermen in the Northern Province producing 14,000 tons of fish annually.

J. Paskaralingam from the area said this is the cuttle fish season and they are expecting a big catch. “However, once again the end result would be that the mudalali (middleman) will offer a low price and transport it to Colombo and get five times more than what he paid us,” he said.“If there are cold rooms in the train we can form groups and send them to Colombo,” he said.

With the liberation of the East the Government has focused its attention on promoting economic activity in the Eastern Province and encouraging paddy production.

Having first identified the owners of abandoned paddy lands, hardly an easy task, it set itself to provide the necessary inputs.

Seed paddy has been distributed on a wide scale, along with farming equipment.

As a result, land under cultivation has gone up dramatically.

While a mere 277,776 acres were cultivated in 2007/8, this extent has increased by 47% to 408,952 acres in 2008/9. The Eastern Province now supplies 30% of the local demand for rice, which is a major contribution to the national economy, as well as being a tremendous gain for the local people.

Meanwhile, steps have also been taken to promote the use of organic fertilizer and re-introduce the System of Rice Intensification (SRI).

Accordingly, it would save water by 60 percent and the yields too would increase more than two folds.

There would be no usage of fertilizer after two months of cultivation.

“We have successfully grown more than 1,000 areas under the SRI system and results have been very productive,” said Director, National Reawakening project under the Ministry of Nation Building, P. H. Sugathadasa.

He said the average yield from an acre of paddy is around 120 bushels and under the SRI system yields per acre has been around 420.

He said due to high yields the Eastern farmers would be able to have a better money flow.

He, however, said some officials of the Ministry of Agriculture influenced by private fertilizer manufacturing companies have blocked this system when it was initially introduced a few years ago. “We know about this and are taking appropriate steps not to have history repeat itself,’ he added.

The Peace Secretariat is in the process of making plans to contribute to revitalise agriculture in the Eastern Province, by coordinating a small loan program for farmers owning less than two acres, and for unemployed youth.

In addition, this will include assistance to start other kinds of businesses and to plant cash crops like maize, cowpea, onion and chilli.

Discussions have already been held with the Provincial Ministry of Agriculture the Lankaputhra Development Bank too is expected to play a major role in this area.

A new branch of the bank would be opened in Batticaloa next week said Director of the Bank, Sarath Silva.