More lands in North comes under the plough

by Dhaneshi Yatawara

The Northern Province recorded an increase in cultivated land by 130,422 acres this year, statistics available with the Secretariat of the Northern Province Governor revealed. The total cultivated land this year is 221,818 acres while in 2009 it was only 91,396 acres.

Accordingly, in the Yala season farmers of the Province cultivated 8,893 acres and during the present Maha season they cultivated 212,925 acres. “Two new paddy storage facilities would be opened in the province as we expect a huge increase in the Maha season harvest,” Northern Province Governor Maj. Gen. G.A. Chandrasiri said.

According to the Governor, many projects are under way throughout the province to repair and reconstruct irrigation tanks and canals. With this the Government plans to assist farmers to cultivate the 34,842 acres of abandoned arable land in the province. Black gram is cultivated across 19,786 acres in all five districts of the province and ground nuts are cultivated in 7,231 acres. Red onion is grown in 4,709 acres and chillies are grown in 4,329 acres. Cowpea is cultivated across 4,729 acres.