- An official arrested, CID probes
- Yala fertiliser subsidies approved
Deputy Minister of Agriculture Namal Karunaratne revealed that some farmers have not received the fertiliser subsidy funds provided by the Government, as a portion of the funds has been misappropriated.
Responding to a question raised by Parliamentarian Susantha Kumara Nawarathna in the Parliament yesterday (18), he disclosed that a total of Rs. 2,934,310 allocated as fertiliser subsidies for 155 farmers in the Anuradhapura District has been stolen. The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed that one official has been arrested in connection with the incident.
Additionally, a complaint has been filed with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding the misappropriation of subsidy funds, he said, noting that further investigations are underway regarding the incident.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the provision of fertiliser subsidies to farmers cultivating during the 2025 Yala season. Based on a proposal submitted by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands, and Irrigation, the Government will provide subsidies as follows: Rs. 25,000 per hectare (ha) for paddy cultivation, up to a maximum of 2 ha; and Rs. 15,000 per ha for cultivating other field crops on paddy lands, as determined at seasonal meetings, up to a maximum of 2 ha.