The largest Aquaponic Technical Greenhouse in South Asia was initiated on an 18-acre land area in the village of Kumarakattuwa, within the Arachchikattuwa Divisional Secretariat Division. This project was backed by a LKR 100 million grant under the World Bank’s Agricultural Modernization Program, with a total investment exceeding LKR 2 billion. However, the project has currently been abandoned.
Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation, K.D. Lalkantha, paid special attention to this matter and recently undertook an observation tour of the site.
“Minister K.D. Lalkantha’s observation of the abandoned South Asia’s largest aquaponic Technical Greenhouse”
This technical greenhouse operates by supplying high-protein feed to fish, and the resultant excretory water is then biologically converted into nitrate and released into the tanks. The plant root system absorbs the nitrates and other minerals from this water, returning purified water back to the fish tanks.
Under this project, the cultivation of fish and plants commenced within an 8-month period. As a project adhering to several international quality standards and all compliances, it was able to achieve a monthly production of between 20,000 and 30,000 kilograms.
However, due to the economic crisis of 2021-2022, the process of obtaining necessary permits for importing seeds and fish feed was delayed by approximately one and a half years. The production capacity was consequently limited to 10%. Despite operating at a high cost, the lack of proper government attention forced this valuable project to be abandoned midway.
Minister K.D. Lalkantha, who joined the observation of the project, stated that he would discuss the matter with the relevant parties and explore the possibility of re-launching the project.
