A special discussion regarding palm cultivation in Sri Lanka was held at the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industry on Monday (20) attended by Plantation Industry and Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and the Indonesian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Dewi Gustina Tobing.
Here, the Indonesian Ambassador to Sri Lanka mentioned that if there is interest in palm cultivation, a large investment can be made for it. Currently, there is a Memorandum of Understanding between Sri Lanka and Indonesia regarding palm cultivation. Under that agreement, the Indonesian government has agreed to buy products related to palm cultivation from Sri Lanka, and the Ambassador said that he is ready to invest Rs.4.5 billion to expand palm cultivation in Sri Lanka.
The Minister said that a study has been started by the Agriculture and Plantation Industries Ministry. After the study report, attention will be paid to it. Although palm cultivation was started in Sri Lanka a few decades ago, the promotion of palm cultivation was suspended due to protests from some parties. According to the agreements reached at that time, palm cultivation was planned on 20,000 acres, but currently palm cultivation has spread to only 11,000 acres.
Nirmanee Igalahewage