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The ‘AT 378’ paddy variety was introduced in Yala Season this year as a result of research conducted by the Ambalantota Rice Research Station for many years, creating a new revolution in paddy cultivation in this country.
Accordingly, the said paddy variety has achieved the highest yield in paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka.
Mr.Mahinda Amaraweera, Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries said that a large group of farmers, who cultivated ‘AT 378’ paddy variety in Hambantota district, which is considered as a district with high potential for paddy cultivation, reported a yield of 12 to 14 metric tons of paddy per hectare.
In general, the paddy farmers in Hambantota district were accustomed to grow mostly red paddy varieties. But in the consumption of rice in our country, most people eat white raw rice.
Because of this, the ‘AT 378 paddy variety’ was introduced as a suitable paddy variety for popularizing the cultivation of white raw rice in the Southern Province.
According to the Ambalantota Rice Research Institute (RRI), this type of rice can yield 180 bushels per acre and 450 bushels per hectare.
This paddy variety is the result of research carried out for 13 years and the weight of a bushel of rice is 21 kg. The Ambalantota Paddy Research Station states that it was grown in Hambantota, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Matara, Galle, and Ratnapura districts this year and the highest yield was obtained.
It has also been confirmed that when the ‘AT 378’ rice variety is grown, it is resistant to flooding.
