Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-07-31

Establishment of a Training and Research Centre for the promotion of Beekeeping Industry

- Sri Lanka possesses a huge potential in promoting the Beekeeping industry which is regarded as a very profitable industry. However, due to the lack of scientific knowledge on beekeeping, presently it is carried out in an unorganized manner in Sri Lanka. Consequently, the production of honey is at a low ebb and bee honey is imported to meet the local demand. Taking these matters into consideration, it has been planned to establish 200,000 beekeeping units at the first stage, for the revitalization of the beekeeping industry. Under this, around 1,000 farmers have been trained as of now and beekeeping boxes have been distributed among them. With a view to further expanding the beekeeping industry, to generate new employment opportunities and means of income for a group of about 200,000, the proposal for the establishment of a state of the art Training and Research Centre in the Dambetenna Grama Niladhari Division made by Hon. Daya Gamage, the Minister of Social Welfare and Primary Industries to be implemented as a Joint Project in association with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Social Welfare and Primary Industries, was approved by the Cabinet.