S
ri Lanka has successfully harvested its first crop of pomegranates from a pilot project in Chenkaladi, an eastern coastal area in Batticaloa, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries.
“The sea breeze in Batticaloa is ideal for growing pomegranates,” stated the Ministry’s Agriculture Sector Modernization Project (ASMP).
The region is cultivating the drought-resistant Bhagawa pomegranate variety.
In response to a foreign exchange crisis, Sri Lanka has been encouraging the cultivation of export crops.
Learn more:
Sri Lanka to produce pomegranates to ‘save forex’ amid inflationism
Currently, Sri Lanka imports pomegranates from India, where the fruit is valued for its medicinal benefits.
The island nation aims to satisfy domestic demand by successfully growing various types of pomegranates, such as Mali Pink and Lanka Red.
The Chenkaladi pomegranate harvest has generated up to 3.5 million rupees in revenue for local farmers, the department reported.
