The entire agricultural sector of this country has been able to achieve a positive growth of 2.6 percent in the year 2023.
This situation was recorded in 2022 as a negative growth. It is 4.2 percent.
Also, it has been possible to achieve a positive growth of 20 percent in paddy cultivation in this country in 2023. And Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries has mentioned that it has also been achieved a positive growth as 8.9 percent in other permanent crops, 7.2 percent in fruit cultivation, 4.9 percent in saltwater fisheries, 3.2 percent in vegetables, 2.9 percent in grain cultivation, 1.8 percent in animal production, 1.5 percent in agricultural support services.
Planting of seeds was done at the Ministry of Agriculture this morning (20) to get the plants needed for the National Planting Asterism on April 18th at 10.16 am. Plants used for gardening as well as banana plants prepared in the method of tissue culture were planted with the participation of the Minister and other officials.
Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera, State Minister of Livestock, Mr. D.B. Herath, State Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Mohan Priyadarshana de Silva were also present in this event.
Speaking at the press conference held here, the Minister mentioned that the Department of Agrarian Development has planned to cultivate 100,000 gardens and the Department of Agriculture has planned to cultivate 30,000 gardens in conjunction with the program: Nakathata Palayak on April 18.
He has also mentioned that the Tea Small Holdings Development Authority has planned to plant 1 million tea plants for planting in vacant areas of tea plantations and the Department of Export Agriculture has planned to plant 1.7 million areca trees.
Also, the Minister has requested the people to take steps to plant any fruit-bearing plant in order to grow the vegetables or green leaves they want in their own garden in the future.
In addition, in this press conference, the Minister also mentioned that the arrangements have been made to hold the new rice festival on 06th of April under the chairmanship of Hon. President Ranil Wickramasinghe for Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya from the paddy harvest in Maha season 2023.
Mr. A.M.H.L. Abeyrathne, Commissioner General of Agrarian Development also attended this press conference.