General Information
· Main climates: Tropical Wet, Tropical Wet and Dry
· Total land area: 6 643 000 ha
· Internal renewable water resources: 43.2 km3
· GNP per capita, 1998: PPP$ 2 945
· Main food consumed: Rice, Wheat, Nuts, Sugar & Honey, Oil & Fat
· Rice supply, 1999: 148.8 kg paddy/capita/year
Basic Statistics
|
|
1985 |
1990 |
1995 |
2000 |
|
RICE |
|
|
|
|
|
Harvested area (T ha) |
864 |
828 |
889 |
870 |
|
Yield (kg/ha) |
3077 |
3064 |
3158 |
3177 |
|
Production (T t) |
2661 |
2538 |
2809 |
2767 |
|
Imports (T t) |
176 |
131 |
9 |
NA |
|
Exports (T t) |
0 |
0.24 |
43.83 |
NA |
|
OTHERS |
|
|
|
|
|
Population (M) |
16.04 |
17.04 |
17.92 |
NA |
|
Agr population (M) |
8.17 |
8.40 |
8.56 |
NA |
|
Irrigated agr area (T ha) |
583 |
520 |
570 |
NA |
|
Fertilizer cons (T t) |
195 |
171 |
199 |
NA |
|
Agr tractor in use (units) |
8500 |
6500 |
7417 |
NA |
Producing Zones and Cropping Seasons
About 75 percent of the paddy lands in Sri Lanka are located within inland valley systems of varying form and size and the balance 25 percent are located in coastal plains and associated flood plains. Rice is grown in 27 districts/provinces of the country. The following table shows the rice-harvested areas in different producing zones.
|
Production Zone |
Harvested area (% total harvested area) |
|
Ampara |
13.06 |
|
Kurunegala |
10.98 |
|
Polonnaruwa |
9.64 |
|
Matara |
6.35 |
|
Habantota |
5.20 |
|
Baticola |
5.06 |
|
Anuradhapura |
4.50 |
|
Galle |
4.22 |
|
Kalutara |
4.14 |
|
3. Mahaweli “H” |
3.95 |
|
Kandi |
3.80 |
|
Trincomale |
3.69 |
|
Badulla |
3.53 |
|
Matale |
2.55 |
|
Kegalle |
2.52 |
|
Udawalawe |
2.52 |
|
Puttalam |
2.35 |
|
Ratnapura |
2.28 |
|
Gampaha |
2.17 |
|
Nuwaraeliya |
1.63 |
|
Monaragala |
1.61 |
|
Killnochichi |
1.09 |
|
Colombo |
1.03 |
|
Mullativu |
0.84 |
|
Jaffna |
0.74 |
|
Mannar |
0.26 |
|
Vavuniya |
0.16 |
Rice is planted in two seasons: Maha and Yala.
|
|
Planting |
Harvesting |
|
Maha |
10-11 |
2-3 |
|
Yala |
4-5 |
8-9 |
Production Practices
The following figure shows the harvested areas from different rice ecologies during the last five years.
Based on rainfall and elevation, rice agro-ecological zones are further classified as LCDZ, LCIZ, LCWZ, MCIZ, MCWZ, UCIZ and UCWZ. Land preparation is done either with animal traction or small tractors. In areas with adequate water, transplanting is the normal method of crop establishment. However, in areas with fewer water supplies, farmers follow dry seedbed preparation and dry sowing; this method of establishment is called "Kakulan sowing". The "Manawari system" is similar to Kakulan, but rice field lands may not have standing water throughout rice crop. A total of 2 170 such varieties were characterised and deposited in storage at the Plant Genetic Resource Centre. The high yielding varieties (HYV) released for cultivation include:
· Irrigated varieties
|
Variety Name |
Released period |
Growth duration (days) |
|
AT 5 |
1995-99 |
120 |
|
BG 301 |
1985-89 |
90 |
|
BG 380 |
1980-84 |
120 |
|
BW 351 |
1985-89 |
105 |
|
AT 303 |
1990-94 |
90 |
|
BG 11 11 |
before 1975 |
135 |
|
BG 276 5 |
1975-79 |
90 |
|
BG 300 |
1985-89 |
90 |
|
BG 304 |
1990-94 |
90 |
|
BG 305 |
1995-99 |
90 |
|
BG 34-6 |
before 1975 |
105 |
|
BG 34-8 |
before 1975 |
90 |
|
BG 350 |
1985-89 |
105 |
|
BG 352 |
1990-94 |
105 |
|
BG 357 |
1995-99 |
105 |
|
BG 358 |
1995-99 |
105 |
|
BG 360 |
1995-99 |
105 |
|
BG 379-2 |
1980-84 |
135 |
|
BG 400-1 |
1980-84 |
130 |
|
BG 403 |
1990-94 |
120 |
|
BG 450 |
1985-89 |
130 |
|
BG 90-2 |
before 1975 |
120 |
|
BG 94-1 |
1975-79 |
105 |
|
BG 94-2 |
1975-79 |
105 |
|
BW 303 |
1990-94 |
90 |
|
H 10 |
before 1975 |
90 |
|
H 4 |
before 1975 |
135 |
|
H 7 |
before 1975 |
105 |
|
H 8 |
before 1975 |
135 |
|
LD 355 |
1990-94 |
105 |
· Rainfed lowland varieties
|
Variety Name |
Released period |
Growth duration (days) |
|
BG 359 |
1995-99 |
105 |
|
BG 750 |
1980-85 |
70 |
|
BW 100 |
1975-79 |
135 |
|
BW 266 7 |
1980-84 |
105 |
|
BW 267 3 |
1980-84 |
105 |
|
BW 272-6B |
1980-84 |
90 |
|
BW 302 |
1985-89 |
90 |
|
BW 451 |
1985-89 |
135 |
|
BW 453 |
1990-94 |
135 |
|
BW 78 |
1975-79 |
135 |
|
LD 66 |
before 1975 |
135 |
|
AT 16 |
1975-79 |
105 |
|
AT 401 |
1990-94 |
120 |
|
AT 402 |
1990-94 |
120 |
|
BG 3-5 |
before 1975 |
150-180 |
|
BG 38 |
1980-84 |
150-180 |
|
BG 407 |
1980-84 |
150-180 |
|
BG 745 |
1980-84 |
150-180 |
|
BW 452 |
1990-94 |
135 |
|
H 9 |
before 1975 |
150-180 |
|
AT 353 |
1990-94 |
90 |
|
AT 354 |
1990-94 |
105 |
Weed control in majority of rice field is done with herbicides with supplemental hand weeding. Farmers generally apply fertilizers to rice. The following table shows rice response to fertilizer application.
|
Other information |
Test range (kg/ha) |
Control rate (kg/ha) |
Control yield (t/ha) |
Rate at Maximum yield (kg/ha) |
Maximum yield (t/ha) |
|
Nitrogen (N), Irrigated Rice |
|||||
|
Reported in 55, Batalagoda, Monsoon |
0-89.6 |
0 |
2.97 |
67.2 |
3.86 |
|
Reported in 1990, BG varieties with 90 days growth duration during Yala season at Central Rice Breeding Station, Batalagoda |
0-200 |
0 |
3.3 |
120 |
4.5 |
|
Reported in 1990, BG varieties with 105 days growth duration during Maha season at Central Rice Breeding Station, Batalagoda |
0-200 |
0 |
3.7 |
120 |
4.9 |
|
Reported in 1990, BG varieties of 105 days growth duration during Yala season at Central Rice Breeding Station, Batalagoda |
0-200 |
0 |
4.3 |
120 |
5.7 |
|
Reported in 1990, BG varieties with 120 days growth duration during Maha season at Central Rice Breeding Station, Batalagoda |
0-200 |
0 |
4.3 |
135 |
6.1 |
|
Reported in 1990, BG varieties with 120 days growth duration during Yala season at Central Rice Breeding Station, Batalagoda |
0-200 |
0 |
4.7 |
135 |
6.5 |
|
Reported in 1990, var. BW 272-6B, Yala season at Regional Agricultural Research Centre, Bumbuwela |
0-100 |
0 |
4 |
50 |
4.2 |
|
Reported in 1990, var. BW 267-3, Yala season at Regional Agricultural Research Centre, Bumbuwela |
0-100 |
0 |
3.8 |
50 |
5.1 |
|
Reported in 1990, var. BW 272-6B, Maha season at Regional Agricultural Research Centre, Bumbuwela |
0-100 |
0 |
2.9 |
60 |
3.6 |
|
Reported in 1990, var. BW 267-3, Maha season at Regional Agricultural Research Centre, Bumbuwela |
0-100 |
0 |
3.2 |
100 |
3.8 |
|
Yala 1989, Anuradhapura district, BG 270-6, site 1, with 75 kg P2O5 + 89 kg K2O/ha |
0-180 |
0 |
5 |
180 |
6.6 |
|
Yala 1989, Anuradhapura district, BG 270-6, site 2, with 75 kg P2O5 + 89 kg K2O/ha |
0-180 |
0 |
4.3 |
180 |
6.5 |
|
Maha 1989/90, Anuradhapura district, BG 450, site 1, with 75 kg P2O5 + 89 kg K2O/ha |
0-180 |
0 |
4.9 |
150 |
6.6 |
|
Maha 1989/90, Anuradhapura district, BG 450, site 2, with 75 kg P2O5 + 89 kg K2O/ha |
0-180 |
0 |
4.1 |
90 |
5.9 |
|
Maha 1989/90, Anuradhapura district, BG 450, site 3, with 75 kg P2O5 + 89 kg K2O/ha |
0-180 |
0 |
3.4 |
150 |
5.9 |
|
Yala 90 Polonnaruwa district, BG 267-5, site 1, with 75 kg P2O5 + 89 kg K2O/ha |
0-180 |
0 |
3.8 |
90 |
4.8 |
|
Yala 90 Polonnaruwa district, BG 267-5, site 2 |
0-180 |
0 |
4 |
120 |
5.9 |
|
Yala 90 Polonnaruwa district, BG 267-5, site 3, with 75 kg P2O5 + 89 kg K2O/ha |
0-180 |
0 |
2.9 |
90 |
4 |
|
Yala 90 Polonnaruwa district, BG 267-5, site 4, with 75 kg P2O5 + 89 kg K2O/ha |
0-180 |
0 |
3.7 |
180 |
5.3 |
|
Maha 88/89, Colombo, with 75 kg P2O5 + 80 kg K2O/ha |
0-100 |
0 |
3 |
75 |
5.2 |
|
Maha 88/89, Kalutara, with 75 kg P2O5 + 80 kg K2O/ha |
0-100 |
0 |
3.3 |
75 |
4.5 |
|
Maha 88/89, Gampaha, with 75 kg P2O5 + 80 kg K2O/ha |
0-100 |
0 |
2.2 |
50 |
3.5 |
|
Maha 88/89, Galle, with 75 kg P2O5 + 80 kg K2O/ha |
0-100 |
0 |
4.9 |
0 |
4.9 |
|
Nitrogen (N), Rainfed lowland Rice |
|||||
|
Reported in 58, avg 7 districts, Yala season |
0-67.2 |
0 |
1.62 |
67.2 |
1.84 |
|
Reported in 58, avg 7 districts, Yala season, with 44.8 P kg/ha |
0-67.2 |
0 |
1.87 |
67.2 |
2.18 |
|
Reported in 58, Ratnapara district, Yala season |
0-67.2 |
0 |
0.62 |
67.2 |
1.34 |
|
Reported in 58, Ratnapara district, Yala season with 44.8 P kg/ha |
0-67.2 |
0 |
0.71 |
67.2 |
1.3 |
|
Potassium (K2O), Irrigated Rice |
|||||
|
Maha 87/88, Var. BW 351, with 75 kg N and 75 kg P2O5/ha, Colombo, site 1 |
0-120 |
0 |
4.7 |
30 |
5.2 |
|
Maha 87/88, Var. BW 351, with 75 kg N and 75 kg P2O5/ha, Colombo, site 2 |
0-120 |
0 |
4.4 |
0 |
4.4 |
|
Maha 87/88, Var. BW 351, with 75 kg N and 75 kg P2O5/ha, Galle, site 1 |
0-120 |
0 |
5.5 |
30 |
6 |
|
Maha 87/88, Var. BW 351, with 75 kg N and 75 kg P2O5/ha, Galle, site 2 |
0-120 |
0 |
5.4 |
30 |
8.5 |
|
Maha 87/88, Var. BW 351, with 75 kg N and 75 kg P2O5/ha, Kalutara, site 1 |
0-120 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
|
Maha 87/88, Var. BW 351, with 75 kg N and 75 kg P2O5/ha, Kalutara, site 2 |
0-120 |
0 |
4.1 |
0 |
4.1 |
|
Yala 88, Var. BW 381, with 75 kg N and 75 kg P2O5/ha, Colombo, site 1 |
0-120 |
0 |
3.3 |
120 |
4.8 |
|
Yala 88, Var. BW 381, with 75 kg N and 75 kg P2O5/ha, Colombo, site 2 |
0-120 |
0 |
3.4 |
30 |
3.6 |
|
Yala 88, Var. BW 381, with 75 kg N and 75 kg P2O5/ha, Kalutara |
0-120 |
0 |
2.1 |
30 |
2.9 |
|
Potassium (K2O), Rainfed lowland Rice |
|||||
|
Reported in 58, avg 7 districts, Yala season |
0-56 |
0 |
1.62 |
0 |
1.62 |
|
Reported in 58, Ratnapara district, Yala |
0-56 |
0 |
0.62 |
56 |
0.64 |
Constraints and Issues of Sustainable Production
The shortage and high labour cost in rural area.
The lack of good and certified seeds.
The small (< 1 ha) and fragmented land holdings that causes reduction in the efficiency of many activities in rice production.
Many farmers are tenant-cultivators, who have less incentive to invest for the reclamation/improvement of rice lands.
In adequate trained manpower in decentralised agricultural extension.
There is very limited opportunity for increasing the harvested area. Therefore, sustainable rice production in the country will depend on the improvement in rice yield. The development and deployment of rice varieties with higher yield potential together with the introduction of improved technology and/or Integrated Crop Management system would positively contribute to sustainable rice production in the country.
Research and Development Institutes
· Agricultural Up-Country Research Station Rahangala, Boralanda
· Ambalantota Seed Farm Ambalantota Phone: (047) 23228
· Central Rice Breeding Station Batalagoda, Ibbagamuwa Phone: (037) 22681
· Department of Agriculture, No.1 Sarasavi Mawatha, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
· Exotic Foliage Company 52 Sarasavi Lane, Castle Street Colombo 8 Phone: (1) 699342 Fax: (94-1) 699342
· Government Seed Farm Pelwehera Department of Agriculture Seeds and Farms Division P.O. Box 19 Peradeniya Phone: (08) 88106
· Hingurakgoda Seed Farm Hingurakgoda Department of Agriculture Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry Sampathpaya, 82 Rajamalwatte Road Battaramulla Phone: (01) 866622 Fax: (094-1) 868925
· Multi Purpose Cooperative Society Palugasdamana, Polonnaruwa Phone: (027) 2247
· Multi Purpose Cooperative Society Tissamaharamaya Phone: (047) 37249
· Plant Genetic Resources Centre Central Agricultural Research Institute P.O. Box 59 I. Sarasavi Mawatha Peradeniya Phone: (08) 88494
· Regional Agricultural Research Centre Aralaganwila Phone: (027) 2174
· Regional Agricultural Research Centre Kilinochehi
· Regional Agricultural Research Station Bombuwela, Kalutara Phone: (034) 22673
· Regional Agricultural Research Station Maha Illuppallama Phone: (025) 9132
· Rice Research and Development Institute, Batalagoda, Ibbagamuwa, Sri Lanka.
