The District Agriculture Committee for the second quarter of this year, which examines the progress related to the agricultural sector of the district, met today (23) in the morning under the chairmanship of the District Secretary / District Governor Mr. Ranjana Jayasinghe.

The progress of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Provincial Agriculture Department and the Agricultural Development Department was first examined. This year's program of providing fertilizers for the yala season, making payments for fertilizers using Suhuru technology, sustainable gardening programs and many other ongoing projects were examined there. This year, it is targeted to establish 3,290 home gardens and it was announced that requests have already been received from more than 150 farmers in the district for the construction of green houses using sustainable technology.

It was said that under the Department of Export Agriculture, agricultural crops are produced in the district itself for the needs of the district, especially the production of cardamom seedlings is at a high level. As of the second quarter of this year, 13 hectares of new rubber plantations and 61 hectares of replanting have been done. It was also announced that there will be training for milk cutters, unlimited and mature license training, awareness programs for rubber trading license holders.

The district hopes to plant twenty thousand coconut trees this year and the Coconut Development Board has so far planted 2138 coconut trees under home cultivation. It was also said that whitefly damage is occurring all over the island and Kegalle district has not yet been severely affected by it. In addition, two aquatic exporters are currently emerging in the vicinity of Warakapola and Ruwanwella and it was said that there are plans to build five fish breeding centers in the district.

This year, Hadabima Authority will carry out commercial level bee, mushroom and fruit village promotion programs focusing on several village official domains and it is also expected to carry out many projects including sustainable gardening promotion programs, water sources and water bodies conservation programs.

Apart from this, the progress of the projects carried out in association with the Small Tea Estate Development Authority and the Samurdhi Department was also examined. The representatives of farmers' associations also presented ideas and suggestions.

Along with this committee, the land use and environment committees also met.

Additional District Secretary (Lands) Dilip Nishantha, District Agriculture Director M.S. Thilakasiri, District Planning Director A.A. Weerakoon, District Samurdhi Director Kusum Bandara, Divisional Secretaries, Heads of Departments and Institutions related to Agriculture, Land, Environment and others were present on this occasion.