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Chemical fertiliser ban: Compensation mechanism to be determined 

16 May 2021

 

  • Transition to organic gradually: Minister assures 

  • Agri Min. probing mkt. sale price hike/shortage

  • ‘Maha’ may experience shortage: Aluthgamage

    By Yumiko Perera   The Government has stated that it is willing to purchase paddy at a higher rate if there is a significant reduction in the yield due to the use of organic fertilisers.  Speaking with The Sunday Morning, Minister of Plantations Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said: “This is in its initial stage, but a proper mechanism to calculate how the farmers would be compensated, if there is indeed a reduction in the yield, would have to be determined in the time to come.”  According to Dr. Pathirana, the Government has the capacity at present to provide alternative fertilisers in place of chemical fertilisers that are required for the rest of this year. The Government would provide the necessary facilities for companies that previously imported chemical fertilisers to start providing organic fertilisers if they wish.  “The chemical fertilisers we have imported should suffice for the time being, and until we find solutions, there would not be a scarcity in fertilisers,” he added.  Highlighting that the transformation from chemical to organic fertilisers would have to be done gradually, the Minister said: “We have to balance it out. We can’t do it overnight. It’s a gradual transformation.”  Farming communities across the island, including in the estate sector, have raised several concerns over the recent ban concerning the importation of chemical fertilisers as well as other agrochemicals.  According to Co-Cabinet Spokesman Minister Udaya Gammanpila, the required fertiliser for paddy and other cultivations for this particular season is 385,000 metric tonnes (MT). Whilst two companies have brought down enough fertilisers to suffice for this season, these two companies will release 250 MT of fertiliser to the market daily, he added.  Gammanpila also highlighted that there had been reports of instances where certain parties had withheld fertiliser stocks in order to sell them at a higher price, and that the people buying fertiliser stocks in excess had caused a shortage in the market.  He further said that the relevant market mechanism is being looked into by the Ministry of Agriculture.  Speaking with The Sunday Morning, Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage said: “We have already prepared a roadmap on how we can tackle this issue. We don’t have a shortage of fertilisers for this season, but we may face a shortage for the Maha season.”  Stating that the Government plans on importing at least 50% of the required stock of organic fertilisers soon, he added that measures are underway to import it as soon as possible.  “If we bring the correct organic fertilisers, there wouldn’t be an issue. There wouldn’t be any difference in the production either. We also plan on re-cultivating barren paddy fields, as there are more than 200,000 acres that are not being worked. Therefore, we have made the necessary arrangements to fast-track that process too.”   


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