The Hon. Hector Appuhamy
Hon. Hector Appuhamy questioned the adequacy of Government support for fisheries in Puttalam District, stating that despite its reliance on both marine and inland fisheries, it received less than five percent of Budget allocations and was not mentioned in plans to increase catch. He cited declining fish catch from 2015 to 2024 and LKR 39 billion in fish imports in 2024, urging modern technology, coordinated programmes, and institutional collaboration to expand domestic production. He also highlighted the lack of chilled storage facilities for inland fisheries as a factor increasing fish prices.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Hon. Minister, between 2015 and 2024 the fish catch has declined—in both marine and inland categories. You spoke of new proposals, but in Puttalam District, where many depend on fisheries, not even five percent was allocated in the Budget. Even now, when you discuss increasing catch, you do not mention Puttalam. Yet that district engages heavily in both marine and inland fisheries. In 2024, as per your own figures, LKR 39 billion worth of fish was imported. We are an island with vast seas; we must adopt proper programmes, modern technology, and institutional collaboration to increase catch and develop the industry so we do not have to import fish. In inland fisheries, our main issue is the absence of chilled baths/facilities, which drives fish prices up.
Provenance
- Source
- Hansard, Wednesday, 9 July 2025 ·No. 1752660241032216 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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/lk/speeches/9192
Cite as: The Hon. Hector Appuhamy. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 9 July 2025. No. 1752660241032216. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/9192