(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –The government has decided to provide an amount of Rs. 18,000 per hectare from the next Maha season to obtain organic fertilizer required to encourage farmers in organic agriculture.
Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera said that the previous governments had not paid much attention to the farmers who are engaged in the organic farming practice to provide food free of poisons to the people of this country.
A fertilizer subsidy is given to the farmers who are cultivating with chemical fertilizer. The government provides 50 kg bags of urea fertilizer at Rs. 500 to rice farmers with less than five acres and at Rs. 1,500 to tea, coconut and other crop growers.
However, the Ministry of Agriculture says that up to now no relief has been given to encourage farmers who are engaged in organic farming. About 5000 farmers are engaged in organic farming.
Agriculture Minister has received the cabinet approval to provide the necessary funds for the purchase of organic fertilizer from Maha Season in 2018.
