With the aim of identifying and discussing in depth the problems related to all agricultural activities in the Kegalle District and finding solutions to those problems, the District Agriculture Committee met on 12 08 2025 at the Kegalle District Secretariat Auditorium under the chairmanship of the District Secretary / Government Agent H. M. J. M. Herath, Additional District Secretary T. A. Kusum Bandara (Administration) and Additional District Secretary Dilip Nishantha (Land).
First of all, the District Secretary explained the purpose, and after the retired former District Director of Agriculture M. S. Thilakasiri thanked all the fellow officers who had worked with him in a friendly manner during his service, the work of the council commenced.
Secondly, the discussion on the letters received from the District Secretariat related to the respective scopes began and letters were presented to the council on that day regarding the death of animals due to African swine fever, blockage of the canal that provides water to the sand paddy fields, cultivation of ornamental fish in fallow paddy fields, approval to remove 40 old coconut trees due to non-fruiting, and damage to cultivation activities due to blockage of canals due to the construction of the expressway.
The National Crop Production Division of the Department of Agriculture has given priority to chilli cultivation among the crops that can be cultivated in the Kegalle District as a target. Accordingly, 20 farmers were selected to start a project to cultivate snake chili in the Bulath Kohupitiya Agricultural Advisory Division, measures were taken to cultivate pineapple, banana, papaya as short-term fruits and long-term fruits, cassava - milk yam - sweet potato - vine yam in the Yala season for potato cultivation, increasing the cultivation area to increase the paddy yield in the district and providing glyphosate for fallow paddy fields less than 5 years old and a subsidy of Rs. 25000 /= for paddy fields more than 5 years old to increase the yield of a unit type of fruit, educating farmers on wild paddy control and raising awareness about the spread of wild paddy due to obtaining seed paddy from the open market (private shops) were discussed here.
Under the Suhuru Model Agricultural Villages Program - 2024 / 2025, 14 centers have been started as Agricultural Service Centers Ambepussa 04, Pinnawala 04, Jalliwala 03, and Baminiwatte 03. Information on the construction of green houses through that program, the small-scale cultivation promotion program through the cultivation progress of the new cultivation program implemented by the Department of Export Agriculture, the betel nut promotion program, the productivity promotion program, and farmer training programs were also presented here.
The Coconut Cultivation Board is establishing a systematic coconut cultivation through new / re- / under-cultivation under the Coconut Plantation Program 2025, providing coconut seedlings for homestead cultivation and planting of waste plants, selling coconut seedlings for cash, implementing the Kapruka program at the Divisional Secretariat level, providing coconut fertilizer, and considering the progress of the Small Tea Estate Development Authority, among the development activities, tea re-cultivation, cultivation rehabilitation (planting waste plants), and conducting training programs. Is the National Fertilizer Secretariat using fertilizer properly in relation to the Yala season? The Deputy Director of the National Fertilizer Secretariat said that it is very important to conduct sample testing according to the complaints received regarding fertilizer.
Assistant District Secretary Malsha L. Priyadarshani, Divisional Secretaries of the Divisional Secretariats, District Planning Director M. P. I. Senaratne, District Agriculture Director S. M. A. C. U. Senaratne, District Samurdhi Director Sagarika D. K. Mediwaka, Assistant Commissioner of Agrarian Development B. A. Chaminda Padma Kumara, Deputy Director of Agriculture R. P. N. L. Rajapaksa, Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Production and Health Mrs. A. P. N. Ranatunga, Deputy Director of the Department of Export Agriculture Mrs. K. P. P. Madushani, Deputy Director of the National Fertilizer Secretariat T. M. S. Tennakoon, Assistant Director of the Agricultural Insurance and Agrarian Insurance Board D. M. N. Diyawadana, Regional Manager of the Coconut Cultivation Board W. N. K. Wehella, Regional Manager of the Small Tea Estates Development Authority H. T. De Zoysa, Assistant Director of Agriculture (Kegalla) P. G. R. C. S. Welagedara and heads of agricultural divisional offices and other officers related to their respective fields participated.
District Environment Committee
It has already been proposed to implement a waste management project in Kegalle District in line with the Clean Sri Lanka National Program. Also, in response to the request made by Additional District Secretary (Lands) Dilip Nishantha Mahatma to submit new proposals as a committee, the following proposals were submitted to the Environment Committee.
Establishing a new parking lot and waste disposal system for the city, taking steps to prevent traffic congestion in the city due to the use of vehicles to park on the other two lanes, although there are 04 lanes in the city, and erecting an iron fence in the middle of the road where flower pots are currently placed, so that pedestrians can cross from all sides.
