SRI LANKA - MANGO ADVISORY

Our Senior Associate Partner, Ted Winston, (see Our Team page on this web site for Ted's profile) has just completed an assignment in Sri Lanka. This successful assistance effort has resulted in expert technical advice delivered to the client and a request for regular visits to follow.

Ted worked with the Nelna Agri Business (NAB) through ACDI/VOCA, (see Note#1 below) an American not-for-profit enterprise that implements a $233,000 sub-award under the USAID Facilitating Economic Growth in Sri Lanka program through the Volunteers for Economic Growth Alliance (VEGA) Leader with Associates mechanism. The prime implementer is the International Executive Service Corps. The program contributes to the economic revitalization of the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka by providing technical services to support workforce development and connect regional economies. 

In 2007 NAB initiated a pilot mango cultivation program with the specialty TJC mango cultivar covering 48 hectares at Embilipitya; TJC mango is a fast growing high yielding variety which is very responsive to flower inducing treatments. This plantation has 8,000 trees ranging from 1 year to 5 years old. The company also acquired 250 ha. land at Buttala in the Moneragala district where they are establishing a 100,000 tree venture – the first large scale planting in Sri Lanka. .

The objective of the assignment was to assist NAB identify and introduce best practices in crop management through mechanized systems of managing and maintaining mango plantations, identify necessary inputs, machinery and equipment to achieve year round production of quality TJC mango for the local and export markets.

Ted demonstrated proper tree training to the project managers and made a series of recommendations covering nutrition, out of season production, pruning and fruit protection and quality. A number of post harvest breakdown issues were identified as an imbalance of calcium/nitrogen, production practices will be altered. He initiated the first version of a “TJC Best Crop Practices Manual” which will now need to be developed further as the plantations develop.

Note#1: FoodWorks is also cooperating with ACDI/VOCA in Zambia via our affiliate, LDA-Zambia

For more information on this post please contact Ted Winston directly on: twinston@qld.chariot.net.au