The Department of Agriculture says plans are underway to produce 50% of Sri Lanka’s annual big onion requirement through local cultivation.
The Department said its main objective is to meet half of the country’s annual demand through the upcoming Yala season harvest.
Sri Lanka’s annual big onion consumption is estimated at around 320,000 metric tonnes.
The country recorded its highest-ever big onion production in 2014, when approximately 100,000 metric tonnes were harvested from around 6,000 hectares.
However, rising production costs and the availability of cheaper imported big onions have resulted in many farmers moving away from big onion cultivation.
Against this backdrop, the Department of Agriculture has launched a special programme to encourage farmers to return to big onion cultivation, with modern agricultural technology being a key focus.
Director of Projects and Training at the Department of Agriculture P. Sisira Kumara said farmers are being educated on modern cultivation techniques aimed at increasing yields per acre while reducing production costs.
He said the Department expects these measures to help achieve the targeted production levels through the upcoming Yala season harvest.
