Analyzing the Factors Affecting the Productivity of Rice Sector in Sri Lanka: In Comparison with Republic of Korea

Abstract

Rice is one of the main food grains, which is playing a pivotal role in the world economy and it is a staple food for 50% of world population. Green revolution brought forth considerable productivity achievements in the rice sector and it accounted for doubling the rice production across the globe. Sri Lanka is unable to vanquish rice self-insufficiency since its birth in 1948. It is not in the fitness of the things despite being the labor abundant and agro-prone country, its labor force is not gravitating towards agro-farming. Productivity issue in the rice sector in the country has been the substantial factor to act against achieving self-sufficiency. Spanning over five decades, no aggressive agenda has been framed and executed vigorously in the country to overcome grave concern for reduction in income for rural households and as a result leaving the agricultural sector. Sri Lanka is severely under-mechanized in agro business owing to low industrialization and sky-high prices of imported apparatus. Fertilizers industry is also forsaken and uncared and farmers are thrown into abyss of addiction of pricey imports. Research and Development is thin on the ground and uncommon, therefore, the country could not foster and nurture new high yielding varieties of seeds. A parallel phenomenon is prevalent in the irrigation system, which is highly primitive and stunted because government‟s incapacity and spiritless efforts undertook the country in the past. This yielded no fruit in up gradation of irrigation system. Time to time ii government devised double pricing policies in the rice sector and inputs subsidy schemes, but unfortunately these policy measures could not take off properly or bring desired results due to inconsistency in policies by each successive regime and fiscal constraints are also held responsible for the failure of the policies. Contrary to this, Republic of Korea has hit the bull‟s eye of self-sufficiency in rice sector by endeavoring hard over decades. Experiences and policy lessons from Republic of Korea are deployable and worthwhile to Sri Lanka for enhancing productivity in the rice sector. Governments of Sri Lanka should prioritize irrigation systems along with the improvement in the quality of seeds of rice by investing in R & D in seed technology. Double price policy should be revised and be effective and pro-poor growth policies (pro-poor is misleading and can be misunderstood...) should be implemented vigorously to attract labor force in rice sector. Industrialization policy should concentrate on agriculture manufacturing equipments and fertilizer production.