Two New Varieties Of Pomegranate Introduced To The Country
Shakila Ifham
January 24, 2024
Two new varieties of pomegranate were introduced for cultivation in the country today (24) at the Homagama Plant Virus Identification Centre (HPVIC) under the patronage of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. The two latest pomegranate varieties are named ‘Malee PINK’ and ‘Lanka RED’.
This follows tissue culture research conducted by the HPVIC of the Department of Agriculture. The special feature of these two latest varieties is that the lifespan of a tree is over 30 years, and one can harvest 20-25 kg of pomegranates from a tree per year. Some 400 trees can be planted per acre, which can generate an annual income of eight million rupees per acre.
Director General of Agriculture Malathi Parasuraman and Lanka Samanmali, Agricultural Research Scientist, who introduced the latest pomegranate varieties and Dr. K.A. Renuka, Director of PVIC, Dr. Vindya Basnayaka, Deputy Director of PVIC, also participated in the event.
A celebration was held today to mark the 25th anniversary of the Homagama Plant Virus Identification Centre, along with the introduction of these new varieties. The two new varieties of pomegranate were given to farmers for cultivation by the minister today.
Scientists said that these two types of pomegranate are suitable for cultivation in the dry zone, and these varieties can be used as an alternative to the currently imported red pomegranate, the cost of their imports can be reduced, Minister Amaraweera said. The Minister advised the Department of Agriculture to focus on promoting such crops to prevent their importation if they can be grown in this country.
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