Sri Lanka has achieved 20 percent growth in paddy cultivation last year

By Ifham Nizam

Sri Lanka has achieved a growth of 20 percent in paddy cultivation last year, the latest report of the Department of Census and Statistics shows.

In 2023, the entire agricultural sector of Sri Lanka was able to achieve a growth of 2.6 percent.

A spokesman of theAgriculture and Plantation Industries Ministry said it was a negative growth of 4.2 percent in 2022.

In 2023, it was possible to achieve a positive growth of 20 percent in paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka, and other permanent crops 8.9 percent, fruit cultivation 7.2 percent, saltwater fishing 4.9 percent, vegetables 3.2 percent, and grain cultivation 2.9 percent.

Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that animal production has achieved a growth of 1.8 percent and agricultural support services have achieved a growth of 1.5 percent.

Planting of seeds was done at the Ministry of Agriculture yesterday to get the plants needed for the National Tree Planting campaign scheduled at the auspicious time of 10.16 am on April 18. There, plants used for gardening, as well as banana plants prepared through tissue culture, were planted with the participation of the Minister and other top officials.

Minister of State for Livestock Development D.B. Herath, Minister of State for Agriculture Mohan Priyadarshan de Silva were also present.

Speaking at the press conference, the Minister stated that the Department of Agrarian Development has planned to plant 100,000 gardens and the Department of Agriculture has planned to plant 30,000 gardens in conjunction with the auspicious planting programme on April 18.

He also mentioned that the Small Tea Estate Development Authority has planned to plant one million tea plants and the Department of Export Agriculture has planned to plant 1.7 million arecanut trees.

The Minister requested the people to take steps to plant any fruit-bearing plant in order to grow the vegetables, or herbs, they want in their own garden.

The Minister also mentioned at the press conference that arrangements have been made to hold the new rice festival on April 06 under the Chairmanship of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, which will be offered to the Jaya Sri Maha Bo temple from the 2023 paddy harvest.