As a country with a long history of agriculture, we should be self-sufficient at least in one crop, Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Economic Affairs State Minister Wasantha Aluvihare said yesterday.
Aluvihare said an extensive programme will take place to identify at least three crops and be self-sufficient in those in order to stop their imports addressing the gathering after assuming duties.
“We still import most of our food from other countries.During the last 25 years, we have not been self-sufficient at least in one crop.We even don’t have a national policy for agriculture. Although many previous governments had launched several programmes to develop agriculture, none have succeeded so far,” he said. It is after 24 years that the UNP has received the Agriculture Minister’s portfolio.Therefore, we will implement a new strategy, aimed at strengthening the sector, to boost both income and employment from agriculture, while also paving the way for Sri Lanka to achieve its target of reducing food imports and building an economy with agriculture at its core.