SRI LANKA - Ministry of Finance and Planning

Other Field Crops – Achieving Self
Sufficiency
The crops which could be grown locally such as onion,
chillie, cowpea, maize, green gram, kurakkan and other
subsidiary food crops will be given high priority for
further expansion. To accelerate the production growth,
research and development initiatives will be directed
towards the development of high yielding varieties,
good quality seeds and advanced cultivating practices.
By moving toward the self sufficiency in these crops,
opportunities will be provided for Sri Lankan farming
communities to enhance their
incomes and generate rural based employment. To
safeguard the farmers from seasonal price declines,
forward market contracts will be popularized for almost
all these crops.
OFC Crops
Table: 2.1.2
Present Production, Imports and Production Targets of OFC
Production (mt)
Imports (mt) Production Target (mt) Import
Targets (mt)
2005 2009 2005 2009 2015 2020 2015
Big onion 55,550 81,707 110,713 143,237 240,570 250,300 1,000
Red onion 53,730 46,232 10,233 16,208 56,500 60,750 500
Dried chillies 11,749 10,318 27,260 36,015 52,500 60,850 2,000
Maize 41,800 129,769 146,930 27,200 270,320 350,000 2000
Kurakkan 6,450 6,433 1,380 3,272 27,150 44,600 100
Green gram 9,000 9,258 9,320 14,183 45,170 66,900 200
Black gram 6,920 7,071 4,641 3,349 18,590 26,760 150
Cowpea 11,180 13,480 195 429 20,000 35,000 50
Soya bean 4,990 6,050 1,310 1,790 14,600 19,250 50
Ground nut 9,040 13,077 4,880 3,950 21,920 26,760 0
Gingerly 6,160 8,523 27 23 17,650 26,760 0
Fruits and Vegetables –Explore the Full
Potential
The country has the potential to produce all its tropical
fruits and vegetables for its needs and also for export.
The policy of the Government is to increase the
production of these items to attain near self sufficiency
level by 2020.
By expanding the irrigation facilities, farmers will be
productively engaged in cultivating fruits and vegetables
farming during the off seasons in existing lands in
Moneragala, Hambantota, Matale, Kurunegala and
Puttalam districts, and the newly opened areas in the
Northern and Eastern Provinces. The cultivation of fruits
and vegetables in home gardens will also be promoted
by linking the marketing network directly with the
Sri Lanka - The Emerging Wonder of Asia
15