Anuradhapura’s abandoned chilli cultivation revived

Although Anuradhapura District was in the forefront in chilli cultivation in the country in the recent past, it dropped to almost zero level in the last decade. Under the circumstances the Government paid special attention to revive the chilli cultivation by implementing the World Bank Funded Agriculture Sector Modernization Project mainly in the dry zone, at a time we are depending on imported chillies at a level of more than 95 percent. During 2023/24 Maha Season it was targeted to grow chillies in 1,500 hectares in Anuradhapura District expecting 22,000 metric tons harvest’, emphasized Anuradhapura Government Agent Janaka Jayasundara. He made these comments after the inspection of a highly successful chilli cultivation maintained in Puliyankulama in Thirappane, DS division by a farmer H. M. Antony Peiris.

Under the Agriculture Ministry’s World Bank funded Agriculture Sector Modernization Project, 100 farmers in the area were selected to take to scientific commercial chilli cultivation and the project provides them necessary agriculture gear, fertilizer, water supply techniques, quality chilli seeds produced at Mahailluppallama Government farm such as MICH-hybrid-01 and 02 chilli varieties etc., along with marketing facilities. It was disclosed that due to the high density cultivation system the fertilizer requirement is very less and the Polythene cover controls the weeds invasion and evaporation, enabling to grow around 13,000 plants in a 1/2 plot of land instead of 6,000 plants under the traditional cultivation system, which helps to gain a very high yielding of chillies.

Farmer Antony Peris said that he started the chilli growing under the guidance of ASMP in last April on 1/2 acre land in Puliyankulama and so has harvested chilies in 20 harvesting turns. He stated enthusiastically that he has earned more than Rs. seven million from his chilli cultivation.

Antony’s wife and two sons too are fully engaged in chilli and vegetable cultivation, leading a prosperous life. Anuradhapura Additional Government Agent (land) Sandya N. G. Abeysekara District Planning Director Sugath Nayanandha Thirappane Divisional Secretary I.G.A.R.S.I. Bandara ASMP’s Evaluation and Operation Director R. M. L. Rathnayake were also present at the chilli cultivation observation tour in Puliyankulama, Thirappane.

There are around 460 farmers now engaged in chilli cultivation under the World Bank funded Agriculture Sector Modernization Project in Ketakala and Kiralogama villages in Thalawa Divisional Secretariat division. The project spends nearly a sum of Rs 125,000 for arranging a 1/2 acre chilli nursery including the cost for 80 grams of M.I.C.H. hybrid chilli seeds per selected chilli farmer. Also under the World Bank funded ASMP around 150 farmers in Rajangane track one to track five are successfully engaged in scientific cultivation of sour plantains (Banana) for export market initially exporting 12,500 kilograms of sour plantain to Dubai.