Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2018-11-21

Providing Facilities to increase Domestic Maize Production

- Maize has been imported over the past few years as the domestic maize production was not sufficient to meet the market requirements due to adverse weather and several other issues. With the increase of domestic maize production, the importation of maize can be minimized thereby reducing the foreign exchange spent, as well as increasing the income of the local maize producers. Accordingly, the proposal made by Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, the Minister of Agriculture, to provide loan facilities required to increase the domestic maize production under the loan schemes presently being implemented at concessionary interest rates, was approved by the Cabinet.