(UTV | COLOMBO) – President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has directed officials to take swift measures to supply fertilizer without any shortage during the Maha season.
The Government expects to revolutionize the agriculture history of the country during the upcoming Maha season by increasing the harvest. Farmers are eagerly waiting to cultivate a large area of lands including lands abandoned for decades. Payments have been made for this year’s imported fertilizer.
President Rajapaksa stressed that fertilizer requirements of estates and farmers should be met on time in prescribed quantities with high standards.
The President highlighted these points during a meeting to discuss future activities of the State Ministry of Regulation of Fertilizer Production and Supply, use of Chemical Fertilizers and Pesticides Held at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday (8).
“Plans are afoot by the Government to assist a revolution in the cultivation sector,” Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Economic Revival former Minister Basil Rajapaksa said. “The background has been laid for importers in both public and private sectors to meet the demand for fertilizer without hindrance,” he added.
President Rajapaksa emphasized the necessity of manufacturing fertilizer locally to meet the demand instead of depending on importation.
The Chairman of the Presidential Task Force said since several universities including the University of Sri Jayewardenepura have conducted research there will be a possibility of supplying several major types of fertilizer to the local market within next three years. Researchers have confirmed that the domestic demand for Single Superphosphate can be met utilizing the Eppawala Phosphate reserve. Experiments are underway to identify the possibility of producing new varieties of fertilizer using nano technology.
The President instructed the officials to commence production of fertilizer immediately while the needed investments will be made by the Ministry of Agriculture. Organic fertilizer was used for 25,000 hectares of land during the last Yala season. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the expected yield has been exceeded by 30%.
