Sri Lanka's maize for Canada and Taiwan

by L.S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

A ceremony to mark the export of maize to Canada and Taiwan will be held on Tuesday at Peliyagoda under the patronage of Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

Sri Lanka is self-sufficient in maize and the surplus will be exported, said Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

The annual domestic requirement is around 180,000 while the output amounts to 200,000 Mt.

The surplus of 10,000 MT. will be exported under the first phase, the minister said.

Maize is one of the major crops cultivated largely in the USA China and Brazil meeting 64 percent of the world's demand. Collection centres have been set up in Anuradhapura, Nochchiyagama, Galenbidunuweva and Horowpathana to help cultivators to sell their produce.