The National Wild Rice Control Week, organized by the Department of Agriculture, is scheduled to take place across the island from June 23rd to 27th.

This national program was inaugurated today (24) morning by. Namal Karunaratne, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, at the Polpithigama, Aelagamuwa on a 2 acre paddy field in the Hakwatunawa Agricultural Instructor Division.

Currently, the wild rice menace is observed in all paddy cultivating areas of Sri Lanka. It poses a significant threat to paddy cultivation, especially in Ampara, Batticaloa, Trincomalee, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Galle, Hambantota, Matara, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Kurunegala, and Puttalam. If immediate attention is not given to wild rice control, it could adversely impact paddy yield and quality, potentially leading to issues with the country’s food security. Therefore, to encourage farmers’ strong focus on wild rice control, the Department of Agriculture has planned a Wild Rice Control Promotion Week covering the entire island from June 23rd to 27th.

Joining the national program, Namal Karunaratne, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, stated: “I appeal to all paddy farmers in our country, especially seed paddy farmers, to identify the wild rice varieties and the actual rice plants, remove wild rice plants from the fields, and implement the necessary interventions for clean seed paddy production as advised by departmental officials.”