Govt to use trains to transport vegetables and fruits

The Government has directed Sri Lanka Railways to implement a programme to transport vegetables and fruits by train. 

Minister of Transport Mahinda Amaraweera said he instructed the General Manager of Railways to begin transporting stocks of vegetables and fruits purchased from farmers via train to areas where they can be sold. The Railway Department will use its baggage wagons to transport the vegetables and fruits, the minister explained. 

The decision to use trains to transport stocks of vegetables and fruits follows complaints that it had become difficult to find enough vehicles to transport the stocks once they are purchased from farmers. 

Farmers organizations had earlier highlighted that the Government could use trains to transport vegetables and fruits across the country. 

Mr Amaraweera said trains can be used to transport stocks from Jaffna all the way down to Beliatta and from areas such as Anuradhapura, Dambulla and Batticaloa, among others.