A press release issued by the Ministry of Finance and Planning said that the government has taken the decision to suspend potato importation as it anticipates a 100 percent increase in potato harvest from the Yala season this year.  It has been estimated that Nuwara Eliya and Badulla districts would produce a potato harvest of more than 100,000 metric tons this season. 

The release said the establishing a guaranteed price of Rs. 80 per kilo for potatoes from budget 2014, agreements by the Lanka Sathosa to purchase the harvest, production and provision of high quality local seed potato and granting concessionary loan facilities had resulted in the bumper harvest.

The Lanka Sathosa had set up four centres countrywide to purchase potatoes from farmers at a price of Rs 80 a kilo and arrangements were made to sell them through its sales outlet network for a reasonable price to consumers. (Special Reporter/SDF)