Pineapple cultivators of Sri Lanka express concern

By Gamini Senadeera (Daily Mirror) (February 26, 2010) Pineapple cultivators in the Gampaha District expressed concern about the heavy losses incurred by them due to the increasing production costs and for want of a profitable market for their produce. They pointed out that the increasing prices of fertilizer and agro chemicals seriously affected them. A pineapple cultivator of Rathupaswala, Wimal Wickramarachchi stressed the need to provide a fertiliser subsidy to the pineapple cultivators as in the case of paddy cultivators. “I took to pineapple cultivation a few years ago in a small scale. Today I have 50 acres of pineapple cultivation at Giriulla, 40 acres at Katupotha and 15 acres at Ganemulla. However, I am facing hardship for want of a market for our produce. The sharp decline of...

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Posted in Gampaha , pineapple cultivation , Sri Lanka

People’s organisations intervention in Elections Campaign

by Sarath Fernando We feel that it is useful to attempt a widely participated process of “People’s Organisations” intervening in the political campaigns related to the elections in the country. Elections are an occasion when economic, social and other policies are discussed among people and commitments are made by the candidates and political parties contesting elections. There are a large number of organisations in the country that are representing the interests of workers in public and private sectors, farmers and the landless people, rural and urban poor, women, fisher people, plantation workers, youth, the unemployed, those affected by adverse policies and programmes carried out by governments and by the private sector. These people’s organisations have had to struggle continuously...

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Posted in democracy , general election 2010 , people's representation

Sri Lanka reduces import tax for palm oil

(February 20, 2009) Sri Lanka government has reduced the import tax of palm oil from Rs. 60 to Rs. 35 per kilo since February 18, 2009. A government spokesman said that this step was taken especially to redress the desiccated coconut manufacturers who had been stuck by the escalated coconut price. With this move, the government also expects the price of coconut oil also decline. However, the coconut industry of the country will be affected with this move, some analysts say. The government earlier imposed heavy taxes on palm oil claiming that they were to save the indust...

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Posted in coconut industry , coconut oil , palm oil

Restriction on maize imports boomerang; Chicken in short supply, prices soar

by Lal Gunesekera (February 13, 2009) The restricted import of maize has boomeranged on the local maize growers, chicken farms and the consumers. There is no doubt a shortage of chicken in the country which may continue till after the Sinhala and Hindu New Year in April. Even the large Super Markets like Cargills Food City and Arpico reported of a shortage of supplies. The controlled price for a kilo of chicken is Rs. 320, but in the open market it's priced at Rs. 460. The President of the Poultry Producers Association, Dr. D. D. Wanasinghe, told The Island yesterday that according to government statistics, there were 75,000 families involved in poultry farming in addition to about 100,000 people who are involved in the industry. "One million people are dependent on the poultry industry,...

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Posted in food security

Tristrasa pest invades orange cultivations

By Prasanna Padmasiri - (February 12, 2009) A pest identified as Tristrasa is destroying orange cultivations in Bibile much to the anxiety of the residents of the area who depend on this main traditional crop that had been their main source of income for centuries. They said several other pests caused by viruses and fungus affected the orange cultivation after the heavy rains recently experienced in the area. Statistically more than 3000 acres of orange cultivation in the Moneragala district had been affected by pests. The farmers are alarmed that the orange cultivation in the district would be wiped out if the pest was not brought under control...

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Posted in Bibile , orange cultivation of Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka state to purchase 140,000 metric tons of paddy

(February 05, 2009) Sri Lanka Ministry of Agriculture Development and Peasant Services says that the state will purchase 140,000 metric tons of paddy in the Maha season. A cabinet paper has been submitted to allocate Rs. 4060 million in this purpose, a spokesman of the Ministry said. The harvesting of the Maha season is to begin by the  end of this month. The state expects to purchase 50,000 metric tons from Polonnaruwa district where the Minister of Agriculture Development and Peasant Services Maithripala Sirisena's family members have big rice processing and marketing business. From Anuradhapura district...

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Posted in marketing of agricultural products , paddy , Rice

350,000 Sri Lankans are in extreme poverty

(February 03, 2009) The Ministry of Social Security and Social Welfare data points out that island wide there are 350,000 recipients of social security payments to the poor. Deputy Minister of Social Services, Lionel Premasiri says that these payments are for no income earners and they will be increased up to Rs.1,000 by budget. These people belong to the category of people affected by extreme poverty. The payments made by the state for them are adequate to feed them a few meals. Most of them are victims of malnutrition and many other deceas...

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Posted in poverty , social security payment