The Progress Review Meeting of the Department of Agriculture was held at the Ministry of Land under the patronage of Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation K.D. Lalkantha.
The progress review meeting of the Department of Agriculture, which operates under the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation, was held yesterday (30th ) at the Ministry of Land under the patronage of Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation K.D. Lalkantha.
During this meeting, details were presented regarding the progress of programs launched by the Department of Agriculture across the island for the year 2025. In particular, an inquiry was made regarding the implementation of the ‘Punarudayata Arunalu Agri+’ National Food Crop Production Program. Officers informed the Minister about the problems encountered during the implementation of these programs.
During this meeting, the opinions of Crop Leaders and their problems were particularly discussed. The Minister emphasized that what is needed is not to discuss things that were done, but to discuss problems and seek answers for the reasons why relevant objectives could not be achieved. The Minister stated that what the farming community expects is not the system that existed until now, but technology and efficiency in services, and that the relevant officers should work to enhance them. The Minister informed the officers that particularly regarding potatoes and onions, the shortcomings that occurred this year should be prevented and care should be taken to ensure this does not happen in the coming year.
The Minister further expressed his views while participating in this event.
We have a crisis regarding additional crops. There is attention regarding paddy cultivation. There are programs as well. A mechanism is also in operation for purchasing paddy. But additional crops are not even discussed in the District Coordination Committees. Let us as a ministry make a special intervention regarding additional crops.
Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne, Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation Aravinda Senarath Vitharana, Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr. Thushara Wickramarachchi, and other officers participated in this occasion.
