Over the years and fruits and vegetables has been an important exportable sector of the country’s export portfolio.
Sri Lanka produces more than 800,000 metric tonnes of fruits and vegetables annually and exports both fresh and processed varieties to many destinations in the world.
The potential for supplying high value vegetables and spices such as gherkins, jalapeno pepper and Spanish pepper for the export market reflected a substantial improvement in export performance during previous years.
‘Gherkins’ has been identified as one of the main vegetable export crops from Sri Lanka. In 2015, export earnings of gherkins reached US$ 6.23 mn.and Sri Lanka enjoyed the eleventh (11th) position among gherkin exporting countries in the world.
The export of gherkins has registered a positive growth rate of 1.2% when compared with export earnings registered during the corresponding period in 2014. China, Australia, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Malaysia and Japan are major export markets for Sri Lankan Gherkins. With regard to export performance of gherkins to the European market, a growth rate of 20.07% and 27.37% of exports has been recorded to the Netherlands and UK respectively. Sri Lanka is supplying gherkins to world renowned brands including McDonalds, Burger King and Hungry Jack.
Around 10,000 metric tonnes of gherkins is produced annually in the dry zone and intermediate zones in Sri Lanka. The Kurunegala district is one of the major areas where gherkins, jalapeno pepper, and Spanish pepper are cultivated.
There is high potential for cultivating these demand driven cash crops in areas namely Ambanpola, Ataragalla, Kathnoruwa, Andarawewa and Siyabalangamuwa in the Kurunegala district and farmers have been making high profit both in Yala and Maha seasons for more than 15 years.
Considering the market potential and ideal climatic conditions prevailing in the Province to cultivate high valued vegetables, the North Western Provincial Office of the EDB made arrangements to implement a pilot Project in the year 2015 to strengthen Gherkins production and develop a consolidated supply base for the export market.
HJS Condiments, which is a subsidiary of Hayleys Agriculture Holdings that holds 43% of share of Sri Lanka’s exports, joined this project to provide buy-back facilities and other assistance.
It is a fact that trellis poles is essential to cultivate gherkins in order to maintain the required export quality of crops and it also helps to increase the crop yield.
Therefore, this programme was undertaken in order to assist selected farmers to cultivate quality Gherkins and link them with direct exporters for marketing arrangements. Seventeen farmers in Ambanpola Divisional Secretariat Division have been selected as beneficiaries for this programme.
They will be assisted by EDB to upgrade their production and supply capacity by way of providing GI pipes and linking them with direct exporters to achieve the expected outcome of consolidating the supply base for the export market. The Ambanpola Divisional Secretariat is providing its support for this project.
Dilhan Athapattu, Regional Development Director for The Sri Lanka Export Development Board, Assistant Director, Thushara Jayalath for the North Western Province of Sri Lanka Export Development Board, R.D.S.T.Gunasinha Assistant Secretariats Ambanpola Division, Nalaka Jayawardene Assistant Manager of HJS Condiments and field officer, Anusha Madushanka, Ambanpola Regional Secretariat officials and beneficiaries participated.
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