Fresh
fruit and vegetable exports recorded a 21.8% growth in the first six months of
this year, CeyNews reported. The fresh fruit and vegetable sector recorded this
growth despite a slump in exports of other commodities. Export revenue has been
declining since last year with a revenue drop of 6.8 percent in April this year
according to the Central Bank. Export decline has been attributed to the low
global demand for commodities. Fresh fruits and vegetables is one sector that
has grown when other sectors have recorded a decline in exports. Credit should
go to the Fruit and Vegetable Exporters Association which is targeting an
export revenue of Rs. 4,000 million by the end of this year.
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Fruits
and vegetables in Sri Lanka
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The
exporter is confident that they could achieve that target. Sri Lanka exports
fresh fruits and vegetables to the Middle East, Europe and the Maldives. Export
of fruits and vegetables has grown from 10-12 varieties to around 135
varieties. More than 17 varieties of salads are exported.Sri Lanka produces
more than 800,000 metric tons of fruits and vegetables annually and exports
fresh and processed varieties to many countries. Around 90 per cent of fresh
products are exported to the Middle East and the Maldives and around 75 percent
of the processed products to the European market.
Fruits
and vegetables are primarily grown by the semi commercialised small farmers
whose individual extent of land does not exceed a hectare. The government has
encouraged private sector involvement in commercial cultivation. Sri Lanka will
commence seed paddy production and supply the local market as import
substitution for Thai Basmathi rice by 2015. We will commence exports to India
under the FTA and also to Africa. Harvesting of big onions has commenced in
Dambulla, North Western region and Matale which will help reduce imports by
around 30 percent. Sri Lanka imports Rs. 750 million worth of big onions
annually.
1,000
commercial farmers will be recruited with the help of the University of
Wayamba, Ruhuna, Uva Wellasa to help them become commercial farmers and
agri-entrepreneurs. Paddy production in Sri Lanka recorded an all time high of
4.869 million metric tons in 2012/13. Agriculture is the most common livelihood
of Sri Lankans, and about 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables are grown in
Sri Lanka’s varied agro-climatic areas.The cool and salubrious condition in the
hill country are ideal for crops such as carrot, leeks, cabbage, cauliflower,
salad leaves, beet, bean, bell pepper, salad cucumber while dry and wet areas
of the low country are suitable for tropical fruits and vegetables ranging from
green chilli, red onion, pumpkin, bitter gourd, melon, sweet and sour banana
types, queen pineapple, papaya, mango, lemon and gherkin.
The
increase in paddy production is attributed to the end of the battle against
terrorism which helped bring vast acreages of land in the North and the East
under the plough. The government's fertiliser subsidy has encouraged farmers to
increase rice production. Sri Lanka is currently self-sufficent in rice and
maize which will be exported next year. Sri Lanka has been exporting rice to
the Middle East and Europe where Sri Lankan and Indian expatriates consume Sri
Lankan varieties of rice. Rice
is the staple food in Asia and Africa which is looking for white long grained
rice similar to rice in Thailand and Malaysia. Since rice eating is a
traditional habit to make people to consume a new variety is a difficult task
but if we persist and promote the health benefits of Sri Lankan rice which is
produced using pesticides and weedicides with minimum chemicals, the world will
buy our rice.
