Following a hiatus of nearly three seasons, the MV INCE PACIFIC ship docked at the Colombo Port yesterday (16), carrying 36,000 metric tonnes (MT) of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) fertiliser (“mada pohora”).
Accordingly, the stock of fertiliser will be distributed amongst 1.2 million farming families, with 55 kilograms of TSP fertiliser being given free per hectare, according to Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera.
The distribution of the fertiliser is scheduled to take place at 1 p.m. on 19 March at the Colombo Commercial Fertilisers premises in Wattala.
Meanwhile, another shipment of fertiliser is also scheduled to arrive on the Island soon.
The TSP fertiliser was provided through the joint efforts of the United States Agency for International Development and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
Amaraweera stated that this Yala season will be the first time after three seasons that measures are underway to provide farmers with all three types of fertiliser, namely, TSP, urea and Muriate of Potash (“bandi pohora”).