Opportunities abound for Thanamalwila farmers

By Lalin FERNANDOPULLE

Farmers of Thanamalwila, a picturesque village in the Uva are today a happy lot due to the rise in their income spurred by a stable market and a fair price for their produce.

The Thanamalwila fruit and vegetable collection centre

The gloom of the once impoverished village has been dispelled and hope and prosperity has been restored with opportunities abounding for a vibrant agricultural sector.

The village with its natural beauty lush forestry, tanks, wildlife and placid lakes is a paradise on earth.

Entrenched in poverty villagers eked out a living from scanty wages earned from working at sugarcane plantations and cultivating cannabis.

Fragments of the prohibited plantations are still found in certain areas.

Fruit and vegetable farmers of Thanamalwila lived a meagre existence due to the exploitation of middlemen who made a good living by fleecing on helpless farmers.

There are no intermediaries today and farmers are assured of a stable market and a reasonable price for their produce.

Farmers bring their daily produce to the Cargills collection centre at Thanamalwila which pays them a higher price than the markets in the area.

G. Karunawathi, a green leaves farmer from Gangeyaya, Thanamalwila said she gets a better price for her produce and added that she is no longer exploited by businessmen in the area.

"I grow green leaves on half an acre of land and earn around Rs. 600 a day. The collection centre pays me a reasonable price and I could support my family", she said.

Farmers said that there is a major reduction in post harvest damage due to the use of crates and the transportation network.

Post harvest waste has dropped to eight percent from the national average of around 40 percent in Thanamalwila.

Vegetation in Thanamalwila is nurtured by water from the Kirindi Oya.

Farmers said that they face many difficulties during the drought and added that they need assistance to purchase water pumps and tubes.

Tomatoes, beans, bitter gourd, sweet pumpkin, capsicum, onions, couwpea and ladies fingers are some of the vegetables cultivated in Thanamalwila.

Around 400 farmer supply vegetables and fruits to the collection centre which was set up in 2009.

The Gangeyaya Idiriya Govi Sangamaya has 49 members and supports farmer families through a benefit fund that was set up two years ago.

D.V. Priyanthi, a vegetable farmer from Gangeyaya Thanamalwila said that unlike in the past she sells most of her produce and earns a satisfactory income to support her family.

"Today I sell around 250 bundles of green leaves and earn around Rs.2,000 a day. In the past I only sold half of my produce", she said.

Hope and confidence have been restored among the farmer community and villagers are eager to expand cultivation and increase their income.

"We would like our children to be farmers and pass on the ancestorial occupation to the next generation. There is dignity in our work and we are happy", a farmer said.

Crates used by farmers

President of the Ihala Uva Govisanvidanaya, Karunaratne Basnayake said that the absence of a national policy for agriculture is a major impediment to the sector.

"Unlike other countries in Sri Lanka it is the middlemen and not the farmers who decide the price of the produce. Agricultural development cannot take place in this manner", he said.

Basnayake said that Sri Lanka should encourage cultivation of wheat and strawberries and stop their import.

Farmers' education, healthcare and other infrastructure facilities in the village have improved. Children are keen to study and pursue a professional career.

Deputy General Manager Agribusiness, Cargills (Ceylon) PLC, Haridas Fernando said that there is a vast change in the attitude of people who are keen to excel in their occupations.

"Cargills has recognised the potential of farmers in Thanamalwila and their children show tremendous enthusiasm to brighten up their future", he said.

Around 50 children of farmer families received scholarships this year from the Gangeyaya community development fund which collects fifty cents from a farmer on a kilogram of vegetables.

"Farmers make this contribution willingly and since setting up the fund two years ago Rs. 160 million has been collected.

The fund is used to provide scholarships to needy children and resources for learning and development of skills", Fernando said. Scholarships were awarded to Grade Five, Advanced Level and vocational training students to the value of Rs. 1.3 million.

Six laptops were presented to students pursuing university education.

The Cargills Food City chain comprises 159 outlets spread across the country.