Special attention towards floriculture development in Gampaha District

Thursday, 1 May 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa stated that facilities required by the cultivators engaged in floriculture and the cut flowers industry will be extended under the Divi Neguma program and arrangements will be made to open a Flower Exporting Village in Divulapitiya. This was stated by the Minister at a meeting of the representatives of the unions engaged in floriculture in Gampaha District and the relevant Government officials, held recently at the Ministry.

Floriculture and cultivation of ornamental plants has been propagated worldwide as a lucrative agricultural crop and Sri Lanka too has now followed suit. Floriculture in Sri Lanka is geared to target local and foreign markets. Cut flowers and potted plants are produced for the local market while cut flowers, cut foliage, bulbs, potted plants, shoots, yams, dried flowers, etc. are meant for the foreign markets. Floriculture, which has presently blossomed into a well-developed export crop, was established as a well-organised export commercial crop as far back as 1980. Foreign exchange earned by Sri Lanka in 1980 from floriculture amounted to Rs. 1.67 million. Europe is the main export market of Sri Lanka, while flowers are exported to the Netherlands, Japan, Korea and Middle East countries. Presently Sri Lanka has over 40 major exporting firms while over 1,000 floriculturists are engaged in the industry. "Floriculture is well-established in the West, North Western and Central Provinces and over 500 hectares are presently under floriculture in the Western Province, where Gampaha District is in the forefront. " Provincial wise, floriculture is well-established in the West, North Western and Central Provinces and over 500 hectares are presently under floriculture in the Western Province, where Gampaha District is in the forefront. A number of combined programs under the Divi Neguma program in collaboration with the Department of National Botanic Gardens were implemented last year by the Ministry of Economic Development in order to uplift the floriculture in the Gampaha District. Divulapitiya in Gampaha District is well-known for floriculture and has over 110 persons engaged in this industry, out of which 12 are major-scale cultivators while six are in medium scale while the remaining 92 persons are small-scale entrepreneurs. Sandriana, anthurium, orchids and cut foliage are mostly cultivated in larger extents of land.

Minister Rajapaksa directed the relevant officials to identify the problems encountered by these floriculturists and to take further steps necessary to strengthen them. The Department of National Botanic Gardens was entrusted with the tasks of providing the necessary technical knowhow, identifying various varieties for the production of plus palms and improvements thereof and improving tissue culture laboratories. The Minister also stated that selected floriculturists would be provided foreign training and the opportunity to take part in foreign exhibitions. He added that financial credit facilities would be made available under concessionary rates of interest while expanding the local marketing opportunities. He further revealed his plans to construct a tourist export village in Divulapitiya. Secretary to the Ministry of Botanical Gardens and Public Recreation Willie Gamage, Department of National Botanic Gardens Director General Dr. Cyril Wijesundara, a host of State officials and a large number of floriculturists including the Divulapitiya Mal Sangamaya President were present at the meeting.