An agreement has been reached between the Government and the National Farmers’ Organisation to carry out paddy cultivation using organic fertilizer in the Maha season.
During a meeting between the representatives of the Farmers’ Organizations and Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage yesterday morning (14), the Farmers handed over a memorandum to the Minister stating that the Government should fulfill four conditions for the success of paddy cultivation in the Maha season.
After the Minister informed President Gotabaya Rajapaksa over the phone about the contents of the memorandum, the President has agreed to fulfill the four conditions. Accordingly, the National Farmers’ Federation of Sri Lanka, representing 11,000 farmers’ organisations, assured their full support for the success of paddy cultivation in the Maha season this year and that local farmers’ organisations will be made aware of this. Among the conditions put forward by the Farmers’ Federation were that the Government should take responsibility for the timely supply of organic manure through Agrarian Service Centres and that the Government will take responsibility for any loss or other damage to the paddy cultivation caused by this fertilizer and compensate for the damage. In addition, these conditions include restricting the sale of pesticides and herbicides currently available in the market at exorbitant prices and giving the farmer the opportunity to buy them at a guaranteed price. If these matters are completed, the National Federation of Farmers’Associations of Sri Lanka (NFGSL) will inform local farmers’ organisations islandwide and assist in the success of organic paddy farming in the Maha season. Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that the decision made by the Government for organic farming is very beneficial to the health and environment of the people. “I am on the side of the farmer in this decision. This will reduce the risk of many diseases, including kidney disease. The availability of non-toxic food products will enable people to obtain clean and nutritious food. Therefore, despite all kinds of insults and persecution, we will work to make this policy decision a success.
‘Imported Potassium Chloride Fertilizer is pure mineral’
Ishara Mudugamuwa
Department of Agriculture Director-General Dr. Ajantha de Silva yesterday confirmed that the Potassium Chloride Mineral Fertilizer imported to Sri Lanka for this Maha season is pure mineral. He added that this fertilizer is very suitable for organic farming.
Misinformation was being spread on social media regarding the 30,000 MT capacity Potassium Chloride Fertilizer imported to Sri Lanka from Lithuania, he said.
Chairman of the Ministry Committee on Sustainable Agriculture Prof. V.I. Yapa of the Faculty of Soil and Agriculture, Sabaragamuwa University said that the imported Potassium Chloride Fertilizer is produced from the earth’s mineral resources like the Eppawala Phosphate Fertilizer. Therefore, certain descriptions by various groups claiming this fertilizer as chemical fertilizer were made due to a misunderstanding, he said.
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