Uncultivated paddy lands under the plough soon

by L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

The Government has decided to acquire uncultivated paddy lands and make them available for prospective cultivators.

Agrarian Development Commissioner General Ravindra Hevavitharana said that this decision was gazetted in January 2009. Although the Government spent over Rs. 800 million to provide irrigation facilities to uncultivated lands during the past two years, the owners had not cultivated paddy. The Agrarian Development Department had identified over 20,000 uncultivated lands especially in Colombo, Gampaha and the Kalutara districts.

The owners were keen to fill those paddy lands and sell them at higher prices, the Commissioner General said. The Department has also identified uncultivated lands in other districts too, he said.

“In 2007 the price of a kilogramme of Samba rice increased to Rs. 120 - Rs. 140. Even India, Thailand, and Burma suspended exports on rice and other essentials due to the food crisis.

However, Sri Lanka did not face such a situation due to the successful food drive launched by the Government.

All uncultivated paddy lands should be brought under the plough soon, he said. He said that the acquired paddy lands would be given to prospective cultivators for cultivation.