brand logo

Aluthgamage admits both Government and farmers at fault during Maha cultivation 

12 Jan 2022

  • Farmers claim Maha paddy harvest down by 40-50%
  • Govt. to buy Maha paddy at Rs. 75 instead of Rs. 50 a kg to cover Maha losses  
  • Aluthgamage acknowledges farmers’ organic allegations ‘not unreasonable’
By Buddhika Samaraweera With paddy farmers islandwide informing of a Maha season harvest reduction of 40-50%, Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage claimed that both the Government and farmers are to be blamed for the mistakes of the Maha cultivation and should therefore rectify such during the implementation of organic farming in the coming Yala season. He also noted that the Government would pay an additional Rs. 25 per every kilogramme (kg) of paddy purchased, so as to cover the losses incurred by farmers during the Maha season.  Aluthgamage also acknowledged that the allegations levelled by farmers regarding the Government’s organic fertiliser programme during the Maha cultivation season are not unreasonable. Claiming that his 32-year political career had been ruined with the implementation of the organic fertiliser programme, Aluthgamage however said that as Minister of Agriculture, he would work to ensure its success.  “Both the Government and the farmers have made mistakes in the Maha season. We must all work with dedication to make up for those mistakes and make organic farming a success in the Yala cultivation season. My 32 years of political life was ruined because of this programme. However, I will be committed together with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Government to make this a success in the future,” he added. He was speaking at a discussion with farmers’ organisations at the Agriculture Ministry on 11 January. Representatives of islandwide farmers’ organisations participated in the discussion. During the discussion, representatives of farmers’ organisations have pointed out to Aluthgamage that the overall paddy harvest could be reduced by 40-50% during the Maha season. Aluthgamage, meanwhile, said that he personally disliked the Government’s decision to import rice, adding that taking steps to control the price of rice in the market by importing rice could reduce the purchase price of paddy from farmers. “To prevent this, the Government has decided to pay Rs. 75 per kg of paddy during the Maha season. The Government has taken steps to increase the purchase price of paddy from Rs. 50 to Rs. 75 a kg and to pay the farmer an additional Rs. 25 per kg for the loss incurred during the Maha season,” said Aluthgamage. 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 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. Farmers in several areas are currently charging that their cultivations have been destroyed due to the lack of fertiliser.


More News..