(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – The Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage said it is expected to cultivate 500,000 hectares of paddy lands during the forthcoming Yala season and the farmers should not be unduly apprehensive as they will be provided with the required fertilizers, fungicides and pesticides without any shortage.
In addition, fertilizers required for the cultivation of other crops such as vegetables, fruits and maize will be imported and a fertilizer subsidy will be provided for organic fertilizers, the Minister said.
He was addressing a special media briefing held at the Agriculture Ministry auditorium yesterday morning (21) to apprise on the government’s program to distribute fertilizer.
The Fertilizer Distribution Program will be implemented at 562 Agrarian Service Centers spread across 25 districts of the country. State Minister of Agriculture Shasheendra Rajapaksa said joining the press conference.
The fertilizer distribution program will be implemented after conducting a study on the climate, weather, soil and farming methods of the farmer in each district. Therefore, 25 methods will be followed in distributing fertilizer among the 25 districts.
There are 49 fertilizer producers in 25 districts and organic fertilizer is distributed to farmers in three forms of bio-liquid fertilizer, organic liquid fertilizer and organic solid fertilizer. Therefore, it is more useful for farmers to obtain the necessary advice from the Agricultural Research Assistants and Agricultural Instructors working in the Agrarian Service Centers when obtaining fertilizer.
Steps have been taken to set up an Operational Room for Green Agriculture at every District Secretariat in the island. A seven-member committee comprising the District Secretary, the Director of Agriculture, Assistant Commissioner of Agrarian Services, Assistant Director of Fertilizers, Inter Provincial Deputy Director of Agriculture, Provincial Council Director of Agriculture and an army personnel will be appointed for this purpose.
