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Special Committee on Fertiliser meets line Ministries 

18 May 2022

  • Report to PM Ranil soon 
BY Buddhika Samaraweera A discussion was held yesterday (17) between the Special Committee on Fertiliser appointed by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and the officials of the relevant Ministries regarding the provision of fertiliser and agrochemicals to farmers for cultivation during the Yala cultivating season. When contacted by The Morning, the Committee’s Head, Akila Viraj Kariyawasan said that the discussion focused on importing organic and chemical fertilisers and other agrochemicals required by the farmers as soon as possible and managing the stocks of fertiliser that would be received. “The main focus was on what fertilisers are required for all crops and how to import them. It was proposed to initiate discussions with several countries regarding the purchase of fertiliser under a Government to Government programme or under a long term credit facility. Especially considering the existing fertiliser shortage, we will be working to provide the required fertiliser to the farmers as soon as possible,” he said. He also said that in addition to importing fertiliser, steps to be taken to manage the stock of fertiliser that would be received, were also discussed during yesterday’s meeting. “It is also important to manage the amount of fertiliser that the country receives. We discussed short-term and long-term measures that could be taken in that regard. One of the steps that was suggested was to provide fertiliser to farmers under a voucher scheme. Under it, farmers can give the relevant voucher to the fertiliser trader and buy organic or chemical fertiliser as per their wishes,” added Kariyawasam. He said that officials representing the Agriculture Ministry and the Plantations Ministry and their affiliates were present at the discussion and that the report prepared on the basis of the discussion would be handed over to Premier Wickremesinghe in the next few days. A proposal to ban the use and importation of chemical fertiliser and agrochemicals such as pesticides, and herbicides/weedicides was submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the same was granted approval, following which the relevant Gazette notification was issued. In November, 2021, the Government decided to revoke the said Gazette notification, thereby allowing the private sector to import chemical fertiliser and agrochemicals. However, throughout the past few months, farmers in several areas have been 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. In addition, several protests have been organised by farmers in the recent past that their crop damages, particularly those caused to paddy cultivations, due to the fertiliser issue, be compensated. Meanwhile, the President recently admitted that the decision taken to ban the importation of chemical fertiliser was a mistake, adding that the farmers would be provided with the same in the coming seasons.


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