No need to import 6 food commodities including rice – Agri Dept.

Published

2 years ago

July 19, 2023

editor

The Department of Agriculture says Sri Lanka will not be required to import rice and five other commodities this year since a substantial harvest has been received.

According to a communiqué from the Department, Sri Lanka has reached self-sufficiency in rice, black gram, green gram, kurakkan (finger millet), cowpea and groundnuts.

The Agriculture Department said following re-introduction of chemical fertiliser in the 2022 Yala season, the yield has improved considerably.

Accordingly, with the harvest in the last Maha season, Sri Lanka has produced 2.7 million MT of rice.

The Department said the country’s annual requirement of rice is 2.4 million MT and therefore there will be a surplus of 300,000MT.

Furthermore, Sri Lanka produced 17,866MT of black gram while the annual requirement is around 20,000MT.

The Agriculture Department said already around 13,500MT of green gram had been produced this year and the annual requirement is around 20,000MT.

It added out of the 15,000MT of cowpea needed this year, around 13,740MT have already been produced.

Based on the assessment of the Agriculture Department, Sri Lanka needs around 35,000MT of ground nuts annually and this year’s harvest is around 36,500MT.

The Department said around 6,500MT of kurakkan has already been produced this year and farmers are on course to meet the annual demand of 10,000MT.

Accordingly, the Department says there is no necessity to import these commodities this year.

(newsradio.lk)

SL extends financial assistance to Myanmar

Published

8 minutes ago

April 10, 2025

editor

The Government of Sri Lanka has extended financial assistance amounting to USD 01 Million to provide relief to the people of Myanmar affected by the recent earthquake.

The relevant cheque was officially handed over today (April 10) at the Presidential Secretariat by the Secretary to the President, Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, to the Ambassador of Myanmar to Sri Lanka, Her Excellency Marlar Than Htaik.

Despite the prevailing economic challenges in Sri Lanka, the Ambassador of Myanmar expressed her deep appreciation to President Anura Kumara Disanayake and the Government of Sri Lanka for this gesture of solidarity and support towards the disaster-stricken people of Myanmar.

Furthermore, the Ambassador extended her gratitude for Sri Lanka’s decision to deploy relief teams and medical personnel during this difficult time. She also noted that such acts of compassion further strengthen the longstanding religious and cultural friendship between Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

The Ambassador also briefed the Secretary to the President on the current situation in Myanmar following the earthquake.

Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Mr. Roshan Gamage, along with officials from the Embassy of Myanmar, Mr. Winh Wint Khaus Tun and Ms. Lei Yi Win, were also present at this occasion.

(President’s Media Division)

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Immigration Dept. issues special notice

Published

23 minutes ago

April 10, 2025

editor

The 24-hour service for one-day passports at the Department of Immigration and Emigration in Battaramulla will be suspended from April 15 – 17.

According to a notice by the department, tokens for one-day services will be issued until 12.00 pm on the said days.

News

22 Indians overstaying visa, arrested

Published

26 minutes ago

April 10, 2025

editor

The Department of Immigration and Emigration has arrested 22 Indian nationals who were overstaying their visas in Sri Lanka.

The officials had been observing the suspicious movements of two male Indian nationals last week and questioning them had led to the raiding of a back office of an IT based company.

According to reports, 17 foreigners were found to be overstaying their visit visa, 04 were overstaying their resident visa and another had been overstaying his business visa.

The suspects, aged 25 to 35 years, were transferred to the department’s detention center in Welisara and will be removed from the country shortly.