The challenge of cultivating vegetables and fruits only using organic fertilizer instead of traditional chemical fertilizer has been noticed by the Daily News during a short visit to the Anuradhapura Mahaweli Agricultural
Zone to see a successful dragon fruit cultivation.
The cultivation is carried out by a group of 25 farmers with the assistance of their families for several years. Later, the Agriculture Department urged farmers to commence the cultivation of rice, tea, rubber, vegetables, coconut and flowers only using organic fertilizer rather than using chemical fertilizer considering that it helps to build a healthy nation.
According to Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority Senior Official Shanthi Padmalatha, the soil in this area is suitable for fruit cultivations and the majority of farmer communities are currently engaged in dragon fruit cultivation since it has become a lucrative business to farmers.
She said unlike many other cultivations which bear fruit only in a particular season, dragon fruit harvest could be reaped more than three to four times and many farmers are engaged in this cultivation.
“According to an agricultural research, the dragon fruit cultivation exists a long period when organic fertilizer is used for plants compared to the short period when chemical fertilizer is used,” she said.
She said in addition, there is also a different taste in well-matured dragon fruits when cultivated using organic fertilizer.
Padmalatha said that even many small dragon fruit cultivators in the Mahaweli Zone have completely avoided the use of chemical fertilizer and changed even their other cultivations such as vegetables and coconut using organic fertilizer since they are cheaper than other fertilizers brought earlier from other areas.
A longstanding dragon fruit cultivator said around Rs. 250,000 to 300,000 could be earned annually.
Meanwhile, a massive organic fertilizer manufacturing project to help farmers in the area was launched under the guidance of the Anuradhapura Mahaweli Authority.
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