President reiterates support to boost agriculture; bigger role to spur GDP

• Says plantation sector has key role to play to build local economy
• Ensuring food security and promoting agricultural export market
• Value addition and maintaining a high grade for exports

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday reiterated Government support to boost agriculture, emphasising that it can play a bigger role to spur the country’s economy, which is currently impacted by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

He made a special emphasis on the plantation sector, saying, “By working towards a target, the plantation sector has the potential to be a significant contributor to the national economy.” 

The President chaired a meeting yesterday to explore ways of maximising the productivity of the plantation sector, whilst returning to normalcy and recommencing the economy. 

“The whole world is currently facing a severe crisis,” noted President. 

However, by taking steps such as restricting imports, the incumbent administration was able to meet the challenges, observed the President. Many items of produce that the plantation sector could supply had been needlessly imported. 

It is important to understand that the plantation sector has a key role to play to build the local economy. Therefore, it is vital to quickly transform loss-making plantations into profitable ventures, President Rajapaksa pointed out. The reasons for Janatha Estate Board to be a loss-making entity must be investigated. Progressive steps must be taken to secure adequate profits by regulating the export of timber from the Plantation Corporation, the President instructed. 

He stressed the importance of ensuring food security for people and also discussed at length the measures needed to promote exports. 

Special attention should be paid to export=oriented crops. “Plan to earn higher export incomes by adding value to major crops, including cinnamon and pepper,” instructed President Rajapaksa. 

“In 2018, the income from export crops was Rs. 538 billion,” noted Minister of Plantation Industries and Export Agriculture Dr. Ramesh Pathirana. “The Ministry is hoping to build this up to a Rs 753 billion industry by 2020.”

Coconut plantations, targeting both the local and export markets, will be developed, Dr. Pathirana said. In the North also, in places such as Palai, Kilinochchi, and Mullaitivu, coconut cultivation has been most successful. Steps have also been taken to develop the cocoa and coffee sectors. 

Cultivation can be further supported by establishing an agricultural unit in the army, said President Rajapaksa. 

 “All export crops should be of very high standards,” instructed the President. 

At the meeting, the potential of the rural cashew cultivation to strengthen the rural economy, the need to reconstruct tanks to support the plantation sector, and involving the Ministry of Forest Conservation and Lands to help resolve issues faced by the plantation sector were also discussed. 

Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Acting Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation Industries and a number of officers from institutions under the purview of the Ministry participated in the discussion.