6 April 2024 12:00 am
By Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa - Dambulla
Reportedly, a young farmer has successfully cultivated a variety of cabbage seeds from Nuwara Eliya in the Mahailuppallama area in Anuradhapura District, marking a historic milestone in Sri Lanka.
This accomplishment was spearheaded by D. M. Sanjeewa Kelum Dissanayake, a 29-year-old resident of the Mahameegaswewa area in Mahailuppallama.
Dissanayake, who has emerged as a source of inspiration for the youth, said that his target income over a period of three months is 1.5 million rupees.
He purchased a variety of cabbage cultivated in Nuwara Eliya and transplanted it into a Chena field previously used for sesame, maize, peanuts, and other crops. Currently, the harvest is nearing completion. What distinguishes this achievement is that despite the extreme dry weather conditions in Anuradhapura, the cabbage plantation managed by this young man resembles those in Nuwara Eliya.
As a young entrepreneur, he has been experimenting with various farming techniques since childhood in pursuit of success. This time, he chose to cultivate cabbage and selected a new hybrid cabbage seed variety imported from Japan through a private seed company. With their technical advice and guidance, he developed a new cultivation method. He said that, for the first time, cabbage only suitable for outdoor cultivation has been successfully grown in the Anuradhapura district.
Sanjeewa Kelum added that the cabbage seeds typically grown in Nuwara Eliya are not suitable for cultivation in other areas, and there are different cabbage seed varieties for those areas.
He has successfully carried out this cultivation and according to him the culmination of three months of hard work is aimed at reaching a target income of 1.5 million rupees.
Sujeewa Valisundara, an executive officer of a private company, who provided the farmer with technical expertise and introduced the new variety of cabbage seeds to the dry zone, emphasized the importance of nurturing young individuals with innovative experiences and economic prowess for the advancement of the modern society.
According to him, Sanjeewa Kelum Dissanayake stated that he is determined to achieve his goals, and therefore he has been given his support.
Sanjeewa Kelum is successfully setting an example for other farmers by completely revolutionizing the cultivation system. Additionally, I believe that youths who are idle in their free time can contribute to the food production process in the country. “New technology can be incorporated into food production, and I can assist anyone through my company,” he added.