Pumpkin farmers in Sri Lanka’s North Western Province are grappling with low prices and high transport costs despite recording a bumper harvest during this year’s Yala cultivation season.
Farmers in areas including Anamaduwa, Mahauswewa, Nawagaththegama, Rachchiragama, Amunuwewa, Rajawigama, Tharanagahawewa, and Kelewewa say that although yields were high due to timely rains, they are receiving just Rs. 20 to Rs. 25 per kilogram from wholesale buyers—barely enough to cover costs.
“Selling at this rate isn’t fair. I harvested about 15,000 kg from two acres. But without a fair price—at least Rs. 30 to Rs. 35 per kilo—it’s impossible to make a profit,” said R.H.M. Herath Banda, a farmer from Amunuwewa.
Farmers say the lack of market regulation, coupled with high transport costs, forces many to sell their produce directly at their fields for minimal return.
During off-season months, pumpkins are sold to consumers at far higher prices, a disparity farmers say traps them in a “vicious circle of poverty.”
Pumpkin cultivation takes around 50 days and requires intensive labour—land preparation, irrigation, fertilisation, and pest control. With no viable profit, many farmers are now reconsidering whether to cultivate next season.
They are calling on the government and relevant authorities to step in—especially to provide transport assistance and stabilise farm gate prices—to ensure their hard work is rewarded and rural livelihoods are protected.
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