Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage says the government’s goal is to produce local chilli seeds by the year 2023.
The Minister said a number of programmes are being implemented at present towards this purpose.
Speaking at a function in Anuradhapura yesterday the Minister said 70,000MT of green chilli is required annually while the annual demand for dried chillies is 50,000MT.
The Agriculture Ministry said while green chillies are 100 percent locally sourced, 80 percent of the dried chilli requirement is met through imports.
