Sri Lanka to reduce maize imports by 50% next year
Sri Lanka plans to reduce maize imports to 150,000 metric tons next year, down from the current 300,000 metric tons, according to Agriculture Secretary M.P.N.M. Wickramasinghe. This move aims to curb the outflow of foreign exchange. To achieve this, maize cultivation is being expanded, and a program to produce local seeds, reducing dependence on imports, is in development.
The Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, M.P.N.M Wickramasinghe, says that they have been instructed to reduce maize imports to 150,000 metric tons next year.
He stated that Sri Lanka currently imports around 300,000 metric tons of maize annually.
He explained that this reduction is aimed at minimizing the significant outflow of foreign exchange spent on maize imports.
“For this purpose, we need to increase the current production. This year, we have increased the land used for maize cultivation.”
Accordingly, he said that they believe this will help to decrease the outflow of foreign exchange from the country.
M.P.N.M. Wickramasinghe also noted that a program is being prepared to produce the necessary seeds locally without importing seeds from abroad.
Source Link : https://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=102871
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