The Cargills company, with the assistance of the Nawagattegama District Secretariat and the Puttalam District Samurdi Directorate, has begun to purchase pumpkins from farmers in the Navagattegama, Konkadalwala and Gaminipura areas.
Farmers in the areas have harvested pumpkins valued at more than Rs. 10 million and are unable to market them, until Cargills stepped forward to assist them, according to a press release issued by Cargills.
The farmers, who chose to grow pumpkins since there wasn’t sufficient water for paddy cultivation, found themselves in a predicament when they couldn’t sell a kilo of pumpkin for even Rs. 7 or 8.
“Our harvest of pumpkins was going to rot. Because our plight was in the news, the Cargills company contacted us through the Puttalam District Samurdi Director General and the District Secretary. Now we see Cargills coming into our villages and purchasing our harvest,” a farmer said.
She added: “We grew pumpkins so we could enjoy a great new year. However, pumpkins began to rot here and there. There was no way to sell our harvest. We are happy that we are now able to sell our produce.”
Cargills company officials said that Cargills is doing a social service. “I think everyone knows about the problems concerning pumpkins. We learned about this from a news text. We arrived here to help the community. About two weeks ago, a similar situation arose with farmers who grew tomatoes in the Nawula area and the Matara area.
"We reached out to them as well. We’ve made arrangements to purchase pumpkins and make them available to consumers. Cargills is engaged in distributing surplus pumpkins the company purchased to consumers. Every consumer who shops for more than Rs. 750 at Cargills Food City is offered 500 grams of pumpkin free of charge.
"Through this initiative, Cargills reconfirms its commitment to supporting farmers and farming communities as well as consumers,” Cargills officials said.
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