Fertilizer subsidy extended to maize cultivation | Daily News

Fertilizer subsidy extended to maize cultivation

Chena cultivators who grow maize in crown lands will be entitled for the government fertilizer subsidy from the forthcoming Maha season.

Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake gave this assurance to a group of Anuradhapura district maize cultivators who were present at the minister's Anuradhapura office recently.

The minister told the Daily News that the prohibition existed so far for chena maize cultivators from getting the fertilizer subsidy since they did not own the cultivated lands. Yet, this will be done away with. Thousands of chena cultivators who grew maize and lost due to the prevailing drought have been denied the compensation for crop damages as they had cultivated in crown land.

The government will offer the fertilizer subsidy to the chena - based maize cultivation if they produce a certificate from the relevant Grama Niladhari confirming that the particular farmer has cultivated maize in the crown land, being counter signed by the Divisional Secretary, the Agriculture Minister said.

He warned chena cultivators that this certificate shall not be instrumental to give any land ownership to the chena cultivator. If any farmer was detected in expanding the plot of crown land where he has been permitted to grow maize, he would not get the fertilizer subsidy nor the land for cultivating again. “We understand that many farmers have been working as stooges of businessmen who have encroached lengthy crown landscapes in rural areas for growing maize thus creating an irrespirable environmental pollution and soil erosion. This practice shall be thwarted. Grama Niladharis shall not issue certificates to fake chena cultivations and such offences would be severely dealt with,” Duminda Dissanayake emphasized.

It is planned to cultivate maize in Anuradhapura district in 60,000 acres in the forthcoming Maha seasons including chena cultivation.


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