The difficult task of building a country free of toxins through the use of eco-friendly organic fertilisers will be overcome no matter the challenges we may have to face, Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage assured.
Speaking at a special media briefing held yesterday at the Agriculture Ministry yesterday, the Minister clarified matters regarding the distribution of organic fertiliser and the decisions taken by the Ministry to solve any issue related to organic fertiliser that would arise in the future.
"We produce the country's required organic fertiliser using local technology and local raw materials. Do not think about this in the general sense of compost thereby providing standardised organic fertiliser containing the required ingredients for technological plants. There is no need to import organic fertiliser in terms of production in the country. We are currently discussing this issue," the Minister said.
"Organic fertiliser manufacturers will be registered at all Agrarian Service Centre levels from next Monday. All quality organic fertiliser varieties are procured through the State Fertiliser Company. The fertiliser subsidy does not reduce even a penny given to farmers. We will provide organic fertiliser to every farmer under the subsidy scheme for the forthcoming Maha season," Minister Aluthgamage said.
"High quality fertilisers are imported with the approval of a Technical Committee consisting of subject matter experts. People with vested interests are trying to create a doubt among farmers that fertiliser is being imported. We tell the farmers not to harbour any doubts or fears. We will provide organic fertiliser to farmers in a systematic manner from the next Maha season," the Minister added.
Prof. Priyantha Yapa of the Sabaragamuwa University Faculty of Agriculture said, "Since 1965 we have been focusing on eco-friendly organic farming.
"We have been living with chemical fertilisers for 57 years. Diseases, loss of life, and chemical agriculture caused it. We are doing this to build a healthy nation that goes beyond temporary stomach filling," he said.
He further said that this is an attempt to turn the whole situation upside-down. If there is a global crisis and imports are suspended, we will have to starve to death. The answer to all these challenges is to produce fertiliser for our country and build an agriculture system that suits the needs of the country.
"We need to move towards eco-friendly organic farming as soon as possible to recover the soil that has been destroyed and to protect the remaining soil."
"This is an emergency because the rest of the soil had to be protected from being destroyed by chemicals," Prof.Yapa said.
