Govt raising agriculture's contribution to economic growth

Steps have been taken to develop the agriculture sector in the North and East which has been badly hit by the conflict, Agriculture Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara says.

Measures are also underway to strengthen agriculture exports while helping the local farmer with additional subsidies. In an interview with Uditha Kumarasinghe, Minister Nanayakkara also said new techniques will be introduced to boost agriculture production without entirely dispensing with age old practices used for farming. Following is the full interview:

Q: The Government wants to reduce the retail prices of essential items for the benefit of the consumer. How does the Government plan to balance the interests of the consumer and the farmer in this regard ?

A: It is possible and requires equilibrium. What we have to do is give the best possible subsidies to the farmers to bring down their cost of production. We should also educate farmers on post harvest losses.

More post harvest techniques should also be introduced to preserve fruits and vegetables after the harvest. When it is done, not only farmers, traders and everyone will practice this. Then 40 to 50 per cent post harvest losses will not be there. If the losses are not there, almost everyone can have their share in a fair way. The consumers will get fruits and vegetables at a better price.

Q: What are the benefits and concessions granted to farmers and what are the Government's plans for modernising agriculture ?

A: We are thinking of a special type of approach in this regard. That is the intermediate level of technology or appropriate level of technology. All traditional methods should be blended with new technology.

Agriculture systems which is suited for America or India may not be the best for us. We should have our own system and hybridisation of old agricultural methodology with new agriculture.

Q: What are the Government's main plans to develop agriculture under Mahinda Chintana ?

A: It is macro and micro. Macro developments are those that come under large irrigation schemes and also without irrigation under rain fed conditions, we are also going to have macro development. Some lands have not been properly cultivated. Those are under utilised. Our aim is to increase the GDP at least to 22 per cent.

At present the contribution of agriculture to the GDP is around 17.8 per cent. In order to increase the contribution of agriculture to the GDP, we will have to develop micro and macro level agriculture.

Under major irrigation schemes we are going to cultivate other vegetable and food crops, especially export oriented crops. Home gardens will also be brought under cultivation and people will be encouraged to take up these home garden development projects.

Q: The younger generation is moving away from agriculture for white collar jobs. How do you propose to make agriculture a more attractive vocation for the younger generation ?

A: I have already submitted my plan to President Mahinda Rajapaksa in this regard. The President has already approved it. Through this proposed plan it is hoped to establish a National Agricultural Corps for the benefit of O/L and A/L dropouts.

They will be paid at the time that they are studying as well getting agricultural training. Once they complete their training, they will be posted into Wevu Gammana where the tanks are available for irrigation and lands will also be distributed among those youth. Here we are concerned more with having high value export oriented crops rather than produce rice. Paddy cultivation may be for their own consumption. We are highly concerned about growing fruits and vegetables for export.

Q: A lot of agriculture products are wasted after the harvest due to lack of storage, preservation and transport facilities. Any plans to develop these facilities and minimise post-harvest waste?

A: At present the post harvest losses of fruits and vegetables goes up to the tune of 40 to 50 per cent. As a remedy, the Ministry has introduced plastic containers to minimise the post harvest losses of fruits and vegetables.

In addition, traders should also be educated on storage of fruits and vegetables in a systematic manner and properly storage the fruits and vegetables displaced at outlets. The Post Harvest Technology Institute has also taken a series of measures to minimise these post harvest losses.

During the tenure of his office Agricultural Development Minister Chamal Rajapaksa started a Regional Post Harvest Technology Institute to get the services to the farmers which is now being operated at Mayurapura, Tissamaharama. We intend to establish similar centres islandwide.

Q: Any plans to encourage consumers to use more rice-based products?

A: We have a grand plan for that. The per capita consumption of rice is around 95 to 100Kgs per year. But per capita consumption of wheat flour alone amounts to about 35Kgs per annum.

This pattern has to be changed. We should encourage our people to consume more rice and rice based products. We will take certain measures to popularise rice based products.

We are thinking of having discussions with large scale wheat flour suppliers to incorporate rice flour and wheat flour to be mixed on the proportion of having 20 per cent of rice flour and 80 per cent wheat flour which could be utilised for bread manufacture and other food items. In order to introduce this system, I will meet big time flour mill owners.

Q: Any plans to develop the export of agriculture products including rice?

A: There are requests to export rice. Presently the niche market for traditional rice varieties is spectacular. A lot of private sector companies are now getting together and they are exporting traditional rice varieties. But large scale rice exports have not been really our concern.

Rice should be produced and consumed here. If we have an excess amount of rice, we can utilise it to make products like barley. In order to encourage local farmers, the Government has already taken steps to levy a tax on each Kilo of imported rice. Not only rice, the Government has also imposed a tax on imported chili, potato and onion.

Q: Does the Government have any intention of abolishing subsidies granted to farmers ?

A: The Government has no intention whatsoever of abolishing subsidies given to farmers. The Government has already given subsidies to paddy farmers. At present the Government provides a 50Kg of Urea fertiliser to farmers to Rs.350.

Q: Agriculture in the North-East has suffered immensely as a result of LTTE activities. Now that most parts of the East have been liberated and resettlement is commencing, how do you propose to re-develop agriculture there ?

A: When the farmers are given facilities and assistance to get back to their lands to cultivate not only paddy but also highland crops such as vegetable and fruits, they will do it and we should have linkages to facilitate marketing. The Eastern province farmers are really good at farming as the Jaffna farmers and also the rest of the country like some people from Moneragala and Wellawaya, they are very good farming people. They have put a lot energy on farming. So we will facilitate.

Q: Similarly, farmers in the North have been hindered by the fact that their products do not reach the rest of the country. It was reported that the Government is commencing a programme to rectify this problem. What is the progress in this regard?

A: The Government is trying its level best to buy or to facilitate the sale of produce coming from the Jaffna peninsula. But unfortunately Prabhakaran does not want this to happen. He wants to create more poverty within the peninsula so that the people are unable to stand on their own feet.

The Government is concerned instead of opening up of roads and facilitating the buyers to meet the sellers. But though Prabhakaran talks about their own brethren, he is not concerned about them. He is only focusing his mind on war.

Q: There is no doubt that terrorism has affected agriculture in this regard. The LTTE's closure of Mavilaru anicut is a case in point. Are you confident that the Government's drive to eradicate terrorism will be a positive trend for agricultural development, peace and prosperity in general ?

A: The Government's efforts in eradicating terrorism will help in the development of agriculture, tourism and many more things such as industries etc. Not only that, services such as education and health services will also be drastically improved.

Q: Is there a possibility of the Government resuming peace negotiations with the LTTE ?

A: The Government is very keen on the resumption of peace negotiations. But I am very doubtful of Prabhakaran's role regarding this. The Government has been interested and trying its level best, but halfway Prabhakaran always pulls back. He is not interested in resuming peace negotiations.

The LTTE terrorism has become a big threat to our national security. Therefore, a group of UNPers decided to support the Government by getting involved with the Government and becoming Ministers to serve the motherland. But certain groups of UNPers are trying to hinder this progressive work. They are trying to upset the apple cart.

Some group of UNPers are trying to help the LTTE by criticising the Government in an unreasonable manner. They are pointing the finger at the Government about human rights matters. But they are not talking about a single human rights violation perpetrated by the LTTE.

This clearly shows that one group of the UNP -we call it the Norwegian set of the UNP -is trying to help the LTTE directly and indirectly.