(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) –Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage has assured that there would not be a food shortage in the country next year.
The Minister has stated that there will be no food shortage in the country as the paddy harvest in the Maha season will be reduced only by 25% or 30% according to the information received from the Agriculture Officers working island wide.
The Minister also pointed out that since the importation of fertilizer for vegetables and other crops has been permitted, there is no possibility of a shortage of vegetables and other crops as the stocks of fertilizer will be available in January.
Information on paddy lands cultivated during the Maha season island wide was obtained at a workshop held in Colombo yesterday (23) with the participation of senior officials of the Ministry of Agriculture including the Deputy Commissioners of Agriculture and Agrarian Development and Provincial Directors of Agriculture working island wide.
According to the officials, 90 to 95 percent of the paddy lands in each district have already been cultivated.
Accordingly, there is no room for food shortages in the country and the views expressed by certain groups that there will be food shortages cannot be accepted, the Minister said.
Former Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture Prof. Uditha K. Jayasinghe, who was removed from his post abruptly, has however stated that there looking at the cultivating fields today, it can be said that there will inevitably be a shortage of food in the future.
