Tuesday, August 27, 2013








Leeks
Introduction
Leek (Allium porrum) is a typical cool climate vegetable which belongs to the family Liliacea and it is being successfully grown in up country wet zone (1000 - 2000 m asl and 2500 - 5000 mm rainfall) which is the most suitable area for leek cultivation. Leek can also be grown in up country intermediate zone (1000- 1500 m asl and 1500 - 2250 mm rainfall). Large Long Summer is the only variety recommended and it is very popular among the farmers. Leek is a long age crop (4? - 6 months) compared to other up country vegetables. In Nuwara Eliya, farmers cultivate leek in a mix cropping system with beet, carrot and lattuce to increase the crop productivity and land used intensity. In this area it is being cultivated year round under irrigated condition with the addition of high organic matter. Leek is tolerant to wet weather and frost. The total extend cultivated is around 1250 ha (Table 1). The present per capita availability is 0.8kg/person/year. The post harvest losses of leek is around 30 %. Leek has a good potential in the export market and presently it is sent to Maldive islands, Middle east and other countries (Culstoms Department 1999).








 







 

Nutritional value of the leek
The nutritive value (per 100g dry matter) of leek is given bellow.

Energy (K.Cal) 29
Protein (g) 02
Fiber (g)  1.4
Calcium (mg) 70
Iron (mg) 7.5
Carotene (mg) 1.8
Thiamin (mg)  0.07
Riboflavin (mg)  0.11
Niacin (mg)  0.8
Vitamin C (mg)  29.0

Recommended Varieties
Large Long Summer

Nursery Management
Nursery: 8 to 10 weeks
Seed Rate:  3000 to 4000 gm / Ha

Field Establishment
Planting Spacing:15 cm X 10 cm

Crop Management
Fertilizer:
(Kg / Ha)     
Urea      TSP MOH
Basal 90 275         50     
Top Dressing-1 ( 4 WAP )        90 -- --
Top Dressing-2 ( 4 WAP )   90 -- 50
Top Dressing-3 ( 4 WAP ) 90 -- --
Top Dressing-4 ( 4 WAP )   90 -- 50
Diseases:Purple blotch ( Alternaria porri )

Harvesting & Post-harvest Technology
Yield Potentia : 30 to 40 tons / Ha
Yield: 30 - 40 tons /ha
Time Taken to First Harvest: 90 to 115 Days after Transplanting.

Economics & Marketing

Extent and production
The extent and the production over Maha and Yala season during the period of 1991 - 1999 are presented in Table.

 











Extent and Production of Leek during 1991-1999

Year Maha Yala Total

Extent
(ha)        
Production (mt)           Extent
(ha)              
Production (mt)     Extent
(ha)       
Production (mt)
1991  388 5877 306 5006 694 10883
1992 434 6214 362 5293 796 11507
1993 576 8329 471 7095 1047 15424
1994 581 8428 475 7179 1056 15607
1995 553 7509 462 6396 1015 13905
1996 652 8036 487 7191 1139 15227
1997  785 10595 557 8135 1342 18730
1998  680 9007 605 8561 1285 17568
1999 794 10607 654 9220 1448 19820
Source: Economic division, HORDI, Gannoruwa, Peradeniya, 1999

The total extend ranged between 694 - 1448ha and the production range between 10883- 19820mt during 1991-1999 period. It was also evident that the cultivated extent and production during the Maha season were greater that of the Yala. This is probably due to the availability of water during the Maha season compared to that of Yala season.

Major Production Months
Nuwara Eliya district produces 90% of the total production of Leek and it is cultivated throughout the year. Hence, production of leek is more or less stable and there is no real peak production month as other vegetables.

Export value
Export volume and export value of leek for the period of 1993-1999 is presented in Table.

Export volume and export value of leeks for the period of 1993 - 1999

Year Quantity (mt) Value (Rs x Million)
1993         203.2 4.74
1994 327.2 14.16
1995 424.6 22.30
1996 958.5 42.82
1997 895.5 43.21
1998 216. 6 19.07
1999 249.9 16.86
Source.: Customs Department , 1999.

The export volume and the export value during 1993 - 1999 periods are presented in the Table 2. It could be noted that there was an increase in export volume of leek in 1996 and 1997.

Price Fluctuation

Cost of Production

The unit production cost for the period of 1998 - 2002 is presented in the Table.

Production cost of leek for the period of 1998 - 2002
Year Average yield
(t/ha)
Unit cost of production
(Rs/kg)
Net return
(Rs/ha)
1998            25.0 5.61 262100
1999 25.0 5.61 262100
2000 25.0 5.61 262100
2001 25.5 5.50 286250
2002 26.5 5.29 294300
Source: DOA vegetable task force report, 1998

Assumption: Cost of production of 140400 Rs/ha and average production price (farm-gate price) of 16.10 Rs/kg.

Major portion of the cost of production accounts for labour (40%) and fertilizer (30%). The other important factor that contributes to high cost of production is seed (15%). The cost of fertilizer could be cut down; if farmers realized the benefit of use of straight fertilizer which reduces the fertilizer cost by 40-50%. Labour could be saved if mix cropping with beetroot or carrot is adopted. Cost of pesticide could also be cutdown if need based spraying for pests and diseases is adopted.
 

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