Import of chilies to be stopped by 2024: Agriculture Minister

Steps will be taken to stop the import of chilies by the year 2024, Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage said.

The Minister also said that there are plans to cultivate chilies in 3,000 new acres island wide. The Minister made this observation while inspecting the successful 100-acre organic chili plantation at Galabadawatta – Nawalapitiya.

Directing the youth of the plantation areas towards cultivation, the organic chili cultivation is being carried out on 100 acres of uncultivated lands in the state-owned Galabadawatta Estate of National Estate Development Board in Nawalapitiya.

The organic chili cultivation project by the youth entrepreneurs in the plantation sector is being successfully implemented, and under the project, 200 youths have been given half an acre each of the barren lands which have not been cultivated for tea.

In the future, another 100 acres will be given to the unemployed youth for chili cultivation, the Minister said.

Touring the plantation, the Minister observed the cultivation activities and the team of officials were able to find out the problems that exist in the cultivation activities and provide proper solutions to those problems.

The Minister has told the youth that this was an opportunity for them to strengthen their own economy as well as of the country, and assured that they will be readily provided with all the possible facilities to make it a success.