Three pilot crop programs have been launched in the North Central and the Eastern Provinces under the World Bank funded Cultivation Sector Modernisation Project.
Accordingly two chillie cultivation projects are in progress in Anuradhapura and the Polonnaruwa districts.
Farmers in Anuradhapura, Rajangana are encouraged to grow sour plantain while the villagers who have been traditional fisherfolk are guided to cultivate prickle cucumber (green cucumber) in Wakare, Batticaloa district both aiming at the export market.
Between 300 to 600 farmers have been selected for promoting the chillie cultivation program following the cluster village concept.
The Anuradhapura district pilot project is implemented in Ketakala and the adjoining Kiralogama villages covering 150 acres. Each farmer receives Rs. 125,000 as gratuity for land preparation, arranging the nursery including 80 grams of MICHHY-1 hybrid chillie variety being processed by the Mahailuppallama Field Crop Research and Development Institute.
Prospective farmers are required to enter into a forward sales agreement with the ASMP for growing chillie in 1/2 acre landscape whereas the ASMP provides all instructions, technologies and planting materials to the farmers aimed at gaining an enhanced and healthy harvest.
The World Bank provides financial aid worth Rs. 200 million to one cluster village for the cultivation promotion program. It is reported that Sri Lanka spends around Rs. 2,000 million annually to import chillies since the country produces only 5 percent of the local requirement.
In the Rajangane colonisation scheme, the ASMP has promoted a sour plantain growing venture with 150 selected farmers. The first shipment of Rajangane sour plantains was sent to Dubai last November and the export is continuing with around 12,500 kilograms of the product being exported every weekend. The ASMP has also been encouraging the residents in Wakarei to grow Green Cucumber (Prickle Cucumber) in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Export Development Board. Residents in Wakarei, once engaged in a full time fishing industry have now taken to growing green cucumber on 500 acres for export since there has been a growing global demand for our green cucumber
It is learnt that within a short period since the pilot cultivation promotion project began, US$ 34 million has been earned. It is learnt that around Rs. 220 million has been invested on the Wakarei Green Cucumber growing project.
The ASMP Management headed by Agriculture Director General Dr. Rohan Wijekoon has planned to expand the acreage of sour plantain, chillies and green cucumber as a major prerequisite in achieving the county’s food security goals and earning more foreign exchange at this difficult juncture.