No need to import ’jumbo peanuts’, we have ’Ceylon Jumbo’: Amaraweera

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that there is no need to import jumbo peanuts as we are self-sufficient in peanut harvest.

Addressing the media after participating in a jumbo groundnut harvesting program at Thorakolaya government seed farm in Middeniya.

"Sri Lanka is self-sufficient in groundnuts and until now, peanuts have been imported as jumbo peanuts. Now Sri Lanka has introduced an alternative to the groundnut variety required for processing jumbo peanuts. "The alternative groundnut variety called ‘Sri Lanka Jumbo’ is superior in quality to the imported groundnuts," he said.

Therefore, there is no need to import groundnuts.

The Sri Lanka Jumbo peanut variety, which is called the "Ceylon Jumbo," is currently becoming very popular in Sri Lanka. The Agriculture Department has introduced this variety and said that it is a high-yielding crop and can provide 29% of the daily protein requirement for humans by consuming this peanut.

Currently, due to the rising prices of meat and fish, it is difficult for people to get the amount of animal protein they need. But the Department emphasizes that the deficiency can be met with the protein content of peanuts.

Groundnut, which is grown as a food crop, has been grown beyond the national requirements of our country. The annual requirement for groundnuts in our country is 30,000MT. But by now, the yield from groundnut cultivation has resulted a surplus with 64,000 MT.

At present, the variety produced in our country is used for the production of jumbo peanuts. Therefore, we have been able to save a lot of money that was attracted to foreign countries so far.

The Minister advised the Agriculture Department officials to take measures to promote related products by using the extra yield of groundnuts. They also advised taking steps to start a peanut oil and peanut butter production program that is good for the body and to expand the cultivation of peanuts.

Peanuts have a major place among energy-giving foods because they contain more fat (48%) and protein (26%) (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)