Highland cultivators in the Eastern Province are reaping a bumper harvest.
Beans, cabbage, carrot and other crops were cultivated in Kaluthavalai in the Batticaloa district. Harvesting had been successful in the coastal areas of Kaluthavalai with the use of farm yard manure and compost.
Vegetables cultivated as highland crops were betel, brinjal, chili, okra and onion. They are cultivated every season at Kaluthavalai. At present, farmers are engaged in up-country vegetable cultivation.
The Agriculture Department has taken steps to enhance agricultural crops in the Eastern Province. Fruits, green gram, maize, crown nut, kurakkan, cowpea and other supplementary food crops have been given priority under the programme.
Farmers are encouraged to grow more subsidy food crops and fruits. There are increased incentives for farmers of the Eastern Province to grow more subsidiary food crops. Crops are grown in large scale due to considerable profits.
Residents also engage in the cultivation of mushrooms in their home gardens in the Akkaraipattu area. Mushroom can be cultivated and harvested within a month, Akkaraipattu resident and mushroom cultivator S. L. M. Nazeer said. With the increase in the number of diabetic patients, the demand for mushrooms is increasing.
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