Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2023-08-07

Provision of a government owned land in the Hambantota district for brackish water prawn farming, on long term lease basis

- A production of 14,414 Metric Tons have been obtained in the year 2021 through brackish water prawn farming which is a main commercial aquaculture farming in Sri Lanka and targets have been set up to increase the productions up to 50,000 Metric Tons and earn Rs.65,500 million of foreign exchange by the year 2025. However, lack of lands which could be utilized for aquaculture farming in this country remains as a challenge to expand the commercial aquaculture farming any further. In order to face this challenge, the National Aquaculture Development Authority has taken several measures such as introduction of modern technology to achieve a high productivity within a limited space. Accordingly, a Government owned land in extent of 218 acres and 30 perches in the Ambalantota Divisional Secretariat Division of the Hambantota district has been identified as suitable for farming Litopenaeus Vannamei which a farming cycle could be completed in a short period of time. Therefore, the joint proposal made by the Minister of Fisheries and the Minister of Tourism and Lands to lease out 109 acres and 15 perches each to W. S. R. Love & K. M. N. Aqua Services (Pvt) Ltd., and Rainbow Foods (Pvt) Ltd., the two companies which have been selected by following the Government Procurement process, based on the valuation of the Government Valuer, for a period of 30 years on long term lease basis, was approved by the Cabinet.