The Government has launched a rural economic development programme with a view to distribute export income and other such dividends evenly throughout the districts at a time when there’s a yawning disparity in income of people living in districts such as Colombo and Gampaha on the one hand and others in places such as Hambantota, Moneragala and Polonnaruwa, said Prof. G. L. Peiris, Minister of Export Development and International Trade addressing a meeting of exotic fish breeders held at Polonnaruwa recently.

Under the programme, he undertook to provide exotic fish breeders in the Polonnaruwa area with the necessary capital, training, technology and insurance . The meeting was organized by the Export Development Board (EDB) and was held at the White House in Polonnaruwa on an invitation by Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services.

Prof. Peiris said that the main crux of the programme will be to promote exports which can be termed, without any doubt, as the heart of economic development in this country.

This particular programme launched by the present Government had dual objectives. They deal with increasing the export income in the country and spreading such income evenly throughout the districts. One should never consider exporting as an activity that could be done only by a few companies in Colombo.

Actually this field could be formally organized in a manner that would allow rural folks not only to participate in the export development process, but earn sizeable income through exports as well.

He also said that Sri Lanka is not regarded as a poor country. In fact, the per capita income of Sri Lanka has increased up to $ 1300 and even the World Bank does not consider Sri Lanka a poor country anymore. Though that was the economic position of the country when taken as a whole, there’s tremendous disparity in incomes between Colombo and other areas such as Hambantota, Moneragala and Polonnaruwa. Sometimes Colombo has an income that was ten times that of the provinces, which was not a situation that a responsible Government would tolerate. It’s the responsibility of a Government to allow the national income to percolate to the provinces.

So in promoting exports, it had to be ensured that money thus earned would be spread far and wide thus benefiting the rural folk. To achieve this, new thinking is necessary and new mechanisms have to be employed. Export categorization and value addition play a major role in these attempts, while international demand, new markets and standards too have to be taken into consideration.

Referring to those engaged in breeding exotic fish, Prof. Peiris highlighted four factors that affect them, namely, capital, markets, air cargo facilities and insurance cover. In this respect, he said that he was happy to announce that the Netherlands Government had come to the rescue by offering a funding facility specially earmarked for the exotic fish breeding industry. He said his Ministry is committed to provide all necessary facilities through organizations such as the EDB. He also thanked Maithripala Sirisena for inviting his ministry to launch the scheme in the Polonnaruwa district.

Maithripala Sirisena, Minister of Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services thanked Prof. Peiris for launching the programme in Polonnaruwa. He said that Prof. Peiris was one politician that he had the highest regard for and he was an asset to the country. At a time when ministers from his own party were shying away from visiting Polonnaruwa, one should appreciate the efforts of Prof. Peiris who not only visited the area on his invitation, but launched a programme that would boost the incomes of the farmers and others in the area.

Among the others who spoke at the meeting were Ranjith Wijetilleka, District Secretary, Polonnaruwa, Siripala Gamlath, Deputy Minister, Agricultural Services Development, Chandrasiri Sooriarachchi, Deputy Minister, Land and Land Development, Bryan Angunawela, Chairman, EDB and Anil Koswatte, Consultant, Ministry of Export Development and International Trade.