Lanka Sites

Vegetable and fruit exports have recorded an eight percent growth compared to last year during the first five months in this year. National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka (NCE) president Sarath de Silva said Lanka’s vegetable and fruit industry has been earning Rs 3,000 million annually. The National Chamber of Exporters targets a revenue of Rs 10 billion by 2020. In 2010, there is eight percent growth in vegetable and fruit industry when compared to last year. Sri Lanka has been exporting vegetables and fruits for nearly 20 years. All these exports in vegetables and fruits have to be branded to gain more economic advantages and branding is considered as the main marketing plan of the Chamber.

There is a growing demand for quality Sri Lankan vegetables and fruits from Jordan, Oman, Lebanon, Bahrain, Maldives and Saudi Arabia. Sri Lankan fruits in demand are pineapple, passion fruit, red lady papaya fresh and dehydrated form, dragon fruit, Rambuttan and avocado. Non tariff barriers, quarantine barriers, unfavourable weather conditions are considered as the main problems faced by vegetables and fruits exporters in the country. Government assistance is needed to increase revenues in the vegetable and fruit industry in the country. Prices of vegetables and fruits will come down if the fertilizer subsidy can be extended to vegetables and fruits cultivators. Apart from that, more people will be getting into production in the near future if these subsidiaries are introduced by the Government, Sarath de Silva said.

He said one third of lands in the country have not been cultivated for the last 30 years due to terrorism. Agricultural lands in the North and East are still fertile as farmers in these areas have not used chemicals to grow vegetables and fruits. This will help to grow organic vegetables in these areas in coming years, he said. The National Agribusiness Council is scheduled to hold an exhibition in Trincomalee shortly to encourage people to grow new crops without growing non traditional crops in liberated areas. India, Australia, Brazil, South Africa and Thailand are considered as the main competitors in the vegetable and fruit industry in the world.

@ Daily News : By Indunil Hewage