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No assessment yet on use of Government-provided fertiliser 

04 Jan 2022

  • Protesting farmers reiterate threat to surround Agri Ministry over ‘selective compensation’
BY Buddhika Samaraweera  Although Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage has stated that only farmers who have used the four types of fertilisers provided by the Government will be compensated for crop damage-related losses, the farmers alleged that no official has come and inquired as to whether the farmers are using the fertilisers given by the Government.  Farmers in the Jayanthipura area in Polonnaruwa staged a protest yesterday (4) against the statement made by Aluthgamage. Speaking during the protest, the farmers charged that no official had come and inquired as to whether the farmers were using the fertilisers provided by the Government. In such a situation, the farmers stated, it is unfair that the Ministry of Agriculture is imposing conditions on farmers.  “How does Aluthgamage know whether the farmers have used the fertilisers? No official from the Ministry of Agriculture or any other authority has come and inquired as to whether we use them or not. We will soon come with the farmers and surround the Ministry of Agriculture. Let’s sort this issue out there,” the farmers said.  Meanwhile, the “Gowibime Mithuro” farmers organisation had also organised a media briefing to protest against Aluthgamage’s statement. The farmers pointed out that Aluthgamage should resign instead of imposing conditions regarding compensation for crop damages.  They also alleged that farmers in the Polonnaruwa area had not received the other fertilisers except the bio-liquid fertiliser provided by the Government.  Ministry of Agriculture Secretary D.M.L.D. Bandaranayake was unavailable for comment on the matter.  Speaking to the media on 2 December, Aluthgamage had stated that the Ministry of Agriculture would take action to pay compensation only to farmers who have cultivated using the four types of fertilisers provided by the Government. He had also said that the Government could not compensate the farmers who were simply doing nothing.  “We first distributed organic solid fertilisers to the farmers and then bio-liquid fertilisers, potassium chloride, and nano nitrogen liquid fertilisers. All four of these fertilisers should have been used by the farmer to get compensation for crop damages. Otherwise, the Government will not be able to pay the compensation if the farmers do nothing and keep their mouths open,” he said. Following the said statement, All Ceylon Farmers’ Federation General Secretary T.B. Sarath on 3 December 2021 said: “We insist that Aluthgamage should be prepared to pay compensation for the damaged crops immediately. Do not try to impose conditions on us. If we do not receive compensation, the present Government should be ready to go home. We will surround the houses of the President and the Ministers with the participation of thousands of farmers.”  Meanwhile, the capsicum farmers in several areas have claimed that the quality of their yield has declined due to the shortage of chemical fertilisers. They attributed the sharp rise in capsicum prices in the market due to lowered harvest quality.  A proposal to ban the use and importation of chemical fertilisers and agrochemicals including pesticides, fungicides and herbicides/weedicides was submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa last April and the same was granted approval, following which the relevant Gazette notification was issued on 6 May 2021. However, the Government decided to revoke the Extraordinary Gazette Number 2226/48 of 6 May 2021, which banned the importation of chemical fertilisers and agrochemicals, and to thereby allow the private sector to import the same, with effect from 24 November 2021.  However, throughout the past few months, farmers in several areas were seen charging that there is a serious shortage of fertiliser for their cultivations and a number of protests have also been organised by farmers’ organisations and various parties demanding that the Government provide a solution to the fertiliser shortage.


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