Wednesday, 29 September 2004 |
Politics |
News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries | Fertilizer to farmers at concessionary price by E.Weerapperuma Despite the increase in fertilizer prices in the world market the Freedom Alliance Government has decided to provide fertilizer to farmers at a concessionary price bearing the additional cost. Although the Freedom Alliance Administration has increased the price of a 50 kg bag of fertilizer by Rs.300, Agriculture, Lands and Irrigation Minister Anura Kumara Dissanayake reiterated that fertilizer will be supplied at the present market prices providing them an added subsidy. The Government has decided to free the farmers from the burden of rising fertilizer prices in accordance with the world market price to bear the loss incurred owing to this action. At a discussion held in Colombo with officials of the General Treasury and the Finance Ministry, the Agriculture Minister said that they had decided to grant a sum of Rs.300 to farmers as a fertilizer subsidy and to bear the loss incurred by this initiative. Accordingly, a 50 kg bag of Urea fertilizer will be sold to farmers at Rs. 537. Minister Dissanayake further said that as the price of petroleum based products have been increased in the world market, the price of urea was also increased by Rs.300. " This we have conveyed to the people, specially to the farmers", said the Minister. The Minister also said that it has been proposed to provide more concessions to the farmer community with a view to increase production and hence the Government would not allow the increase in the price of Urea fertilizer and pointed out that action has been taken to increase the subsidy granted to farmers. The Secretary to the Finance Ministry P.B.Jayasundara said that the General Treasury has decided to grant this concession by continuing with the present policy, particularly in view of the recent drought and has decided to further extend the fertilizer subsidy. Accordingly, a bag of 50kg Urea will be sold to farmers at Rs.550 and the Government will provide the subsidy. |
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |