Minister o
f Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage was last week at loggerheads with farmers during a meeting convened in Anuradhapura to discuss the issues faced by the farming community in accessing fertiliser for their crops.
The meeting was attended by several other government ministers and state officials.
After the Minister had assured farmers of adequate fertiliser stocks, the farmers, one by one, started to protest, saying that despite assurances given by government ministers, the farming community was faced with a fertiliser shortage.
With several farmers attending the meeting standing and protesting against the issues faced by the farming community, the discussion soon transformed into a heated debate.
Aluthgamage finally told the farmers: “You can stay if you want to, or leave.”
Finally, agrarian services officials had intervened and requested the farmers to stay calm, noting that the Government was trying to resolve the farmers’ issues.
f Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage was last week at loggerheads with farmers during a meeting convened in Anuradhapura to discuss the issues faced by the farming community in accessing fertiliser for their crops.
The meeting was attended by several other government ministers and state officials.
After the Minister had assured farmers of adequate fertiliser stocks, the farmers, one by one, started to protest, saying that despite assurances given by government ministers, the farming community was faced with a fertiliser shortage.
With several farmers attending the meeting standing and protesting against the issues faced by the farming community, the discussion soon transformed into a heated debate.
Aluthgamage finally told the farmers: “You can stay if you want to, or leave.”
Finally, agrarian services officials had intervened and requested the farmers to stay calm, noting that the Government was trying to resolve the farmers’ issues.