Fertiliser at Rs.350 from Monday

by Anjana Samarasinghe

Fertiliser for paddy, vegetable and fruit cultivation will be supplied at Rs.350 per bag from Monday in line with a pledge in the Mahinda Chintana, Agriculture Minister Maithripala Sirisena said yesterday.

The Government has to spend Rs 12 billion each year to provide fertiliser subsidies for paddy, vegetable and fruit farmers, Minister Sirisena said.

The Minister said that 60 per cent of the total fertiliser consumption is for paddy, vegetables and fruits. Tea, rubber, coconut and minor export crops account for the rest. Farmers will be able to buy fertiliser at the concessionary price through the Agrarian Service Department, Provincial cooperatives, the private sector and farmers associations.

"We have issued special forms to farmers to make sure that these fertiliser subsidies will be used by the most needy farming communities.

After these forms are filled they need to be approved by the Agricultural Assistants and by relevant farmers association.

By giving this document to suppliers farmers will be able to buy their fertiliser," the Minister said.

The Government also expects to grant fertiliser subsidies for minor export crops and tea small holders in the next few months. "There is enough fertiliser in stores. If farmers need more, the Government will make arrangements to supply fresh stocks.

These grants are not just concessions. We consider it as a national investment," he said. Cabinet approval been granted to establish a national policy on agriculture.

This policy will address important issues such as production, distribution and imports and exports in the agricultural sector.

The Minister said the Paddy Marketing Board would be re-opened next month.