President says decision on organic fertilizer will not be reversed
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has informed the Maha Sangha that he will not take back the decision to use organic fertilizer towards endowing a healthy future generation to the country, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said today (27).
Further, he has assured that he will not allow any farmer to face inconveniences during the implementation of the programme.
Due to the use of chemical fertilizers, farmers in many parts of the island suffer from many non- communicable diseases including kidney disease and the damage it has done to the environment is immense. The government also spends more than USD 400 million annually on chemical fertilizer imports, the PMD added.
The President has pointed out to the Maha Sangha that the use of organic fertilizer would enable the farmers to receive the funds that flow out to foreign companies when importing chemical fertilizers.
The President made these remarks calling on the Maha Sangha including the Mahanayake Theros of the Asgiri Chapter earlier today.
Prior to 2015, the country made tremendous progress in a short period of time as the government officials did not hesitate to take decisions, President Rajapaksa stated. Nevertheless, he pointed out that these officials had to face various difficulties during the previous government’s tenure, including imprisonment on false charges. The public officials are reluctant to take decisions and implement them for fear that they would be punished in the future for implementing development plans, he added.
Therefore, it is unfortunate that many activities in the country are being disrupted due to this unnecessary fear, the President said further.
Meanwhile, Most Venerable Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thero, the Mahanayake of the Asgiri Chapter, commended the President for the programme implemented to successfully face the COVID-19 pandemic.
The President has briefed the Mahanayake Thero on the vaccination drive carried out to mitigate the virus outbreak.
He visited the Asgiri Gedige Rajamaha Vihara and paid a courtesy call on the Most Venerable Wedaruwe Upali Thero, the Anunayake of the Asgiri Chapter. The prelate, who praised the programme implemented by the President, invoked blessings on the President. Ven. Dr. Godagama Mangala Thero, senior Sangha Sabikmember of the Asgiri Chapter was also present at the occasion.
The President called on the Anunayake of the Asgiri Chapter Most Ven. Anamaduwe Dhammadassi Thero, the Registrar of the Asgiri Chapter Most Ven. Dr. Medagama Dhammananda Thero, the Deputy Registrar of the Asgiri Chapter Most Ven. Narampanawe Ananda Thero.
Meanwhile, Chief Incumbent Ven. Keppetiyagoda Siriwimala Nayaka Thero and other members of the Maha Sangha chanted Seth Pirith and invoked blessings on President Rajapaksa when he visited the Rajopawanarama Vihara in Gatambe.
Diyawadana Nilame Nilanga Dela and Buddhasasana Ministry Secretary Professor Kapila Gunawardana were also present at this event, the PMD added.
(Source: Ada Derana)
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Although I rely on you to be the person to develop this country, if it ever going to happen, Your adventure with organic fertilizer is certain to fail. It is not a new thinking although it may sound new to Sri lanka. Western world has tried and have organically produced food. They are more expensive, cannot be produced in amounts anywhere near the quantities produced using chemical fertilizer (ie. yield per unit are is much lower, but the cost of production per unit weight is quite high), and can carry diseases due to use of animal and plant matter.
Organic fertilizer is produced using plant matter or animal matter or both. Sri Lanka has no large areas to produce enough volume of plant material for enough organic fertilizer. There is very little animal byproducts. The only result of your policy will be further deforestation of the country and in 5-10 years time local production of organic fertilizer will almost stop (when there are no more plants or forests to cut down) and there will be no green areas as well as water to cultivate. It is a foolish policy by president or anybody. Also, what is the point in allowing the use of pesticides and weedicides then? These kill and cause more illness than fertilizer use. What about educating those who use chemical fertilizer, weedicides and pesticide to make them understand by overusing each one of these, they hit their own pockets, do not get any proportional increase in yield and kill or make other humans in he country seriously ill? But in order for it to work, rather than preaching it by officials in the Agriculture Department, somebody need to demonstrate it practically by actually doing it with the participation of farmers in different areas. I hope you have heard and know the meaning of ‘Think before jump’. If some people are giving you the advice to use organic fertilizer only, make sure they know you are going to ask their heads when the disaster happens in few years. But then people in Sri lanka are very likely to ask for your head, because, this will severely cutdown the food production in the country.