Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena thanks the Netherlands for the assistance provided to infrastructure development and agriculture and various other sectors and urged for technical knowhow and more investments in agriculture, information technology, renewable energy, transport and tourism.
This was stated when the Ambassador of Netherlands Bonnie Horbach called on him at the Temple Trees in Colombo today (27). She said Sri Lanka has vast potential in many areas including information technology, tourism and agriculture and she was confident that her country would undertake more projects once the global economic situation get over the current difficult phase.
The Prime Minister explained the ’grow food’ programmes undertaken by the government at 14,000 Grama Sevaka divisions and said that in addition to the Maha season of paddy, cultivation of many other crops in hitherto uncultivated lands is likely to provide a good yield by the first quarter of next year.
Ambassador Horbach said her country has advanced in innovative agro technology and the Netherlands expertise could be provided to Sri Lanka. She said that the Netherland scientists have developed a new variety of potato that can grow in salty lands as most areas of her country is closer to sea and the land consist of saline water and that potato seeds could be provided to Sri Lanka to start potato cultivations in areas close to sea, especially in the north and east.
They also discussed other areas for collaboration, including climate change, trade and commerce, ports development and joint projects.
The new Ambassador of Netherlands assured the Prime Minister her prime task would be to promote bilateral ties and development cooperation during her tenure in Sri Lanka.