Agricultural and fish production: Year 2009
Highlights

1. Sugar

The production of sugar cane increased by 3.0% from 4,533,000 tonnes in 2008 to 4,666,942 tonnes in 2009 despite a decrease of 2.5% in area harvested from 62,024 hectares to 60,503 hectares. Sugar production, consequently, went up by 3.4% from 452,062 tonnes in 2008 to 467,234 tonnes in 2009. The average extraction rate which was 9.98% in 2008 rose to 10.02% in 2009, up by 0.4%.

2. Tea

Area under tea plantation in 2009 was 713 hectares, up by 1.7% over the figure of 701 hectares in 2008. However, the production of green tea leaves fell by 11.6% from 8,672 tonnes in 2008 to 7,663 tonnes in 2009, resulting in a decrease of 11.2% in the production of manufactured tea from 1,668 tonnes to 1,481 tonnes.

3. Tobacco

Area harvested in 2009 went down by 8.5% from 260 hectares in 2008 to 238 hectares in 2009. Consequently, the production of tobacco leaves decreased by 10.0% from 349 tonnes in 2008 to 314 tonnes in 2009.

4. Food crops

Area harvested under food crops rose by 9.7% from 6,266 hectares in 2008 to 6,875 hectares in 2009. As a result the production of food crops increased by 18.1% from 93,021 tonnes in 2008 to 109,888 tonnes in 2009.

5. Livestock

Beef production increased by 9.9% to attain 2,090 tonnes in 2009 compared to 1,902 tonnes in 2008. Production from the slaughter of imported and local cattle rose by 9.5% and 33.3% respectively.

Production of goat meat and mutton stagnated at around 77 tonnes for 2008 and 2009 while that of pork rose by 29.7%.

6. Poultry

Production of poultry increased by 4.8% from 42,000 tonnes in 2008 to 44,000 tonnes in 2009.

7. Fish

Total fish production in 2009 went up by 6.0% to 6,385 tonnes, from 6,025 tonnes in 2008. Fresh coastal fish catch increased by 19.9% while that of other catch (tuna, bank etc) stagnated at around 4,225 tonnes.

March 2010