Ensure adequate fertilizer supply – President orders officials

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday directed officials to ensure the supply of the required amount of fertilizer for the Yala season without delay.

The fertilizer stocks are due to arrive in the island within the coming weeks.

The President instructed to design a proper procedure to swiftly distribute fertilizer among all the farmers, stressing that farmers should not be inconvenienced for any reason, the President’s Media Division issuing a press communiqué said.

These directives were issued by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa during a review of the process of importation and distribution of fertilizer stocks. The discussion took place at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday.

Issues pertaining to the import of fertilizer were discussed in-depth and the President advised to obtain the preliminary inspection reports on the quality of fertilizer within 10 days prior to distribution.

Farmers are inclined to use excessive quantities of fertilizer, in the hope of a bigger harvest. The President highlighted the significance of educating the farming community about the harmful aspects of using chemical fertilizer over organic ones. He noted they must be gradually directed towards the use of organic fertilizer.

President Rajapaksa pointed out that there was an increasing demand for produce grown using organic fertilizer. He added it was vital to increase the production of organic fertilizer, both in order to meet the market demand and for a healthier future generation.

The President advised the officials to identify the countries that produce high quality fertilizer and import fertilizer from them. The President further advised them to calculate the annual harvest of the main crops including paddy, and adjust fertilizer imports accordingly.

Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President, Dr. P.B. Jayasundara, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, S. Artigala, Ministry of Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation & Rural Development, Neel Bandara Hapuhinna, Secretary to the Ministry of Plantation Industries and Export Agriculture, Ravindra Hewavitharana, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank, H.A. Dissanayake and senior officials representing the Department of Agriculture, Ceylon Fertilizer Company and fertilizer importers were present.

(Source: Daily News)