Task Force directed to promote carbonic fertiliSer use

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has directed to launch a programme to encourage the use of carbonic fertiliser in place of the chemical and ensure that 1/3 of the fertiliser subsidy consists of carbonic fertilizer at a following a discussion with the Presidential Task Force manning the Api Wawamu, Rata Nagamu food drive campaign.

The use of chemical fertiliser has been identified as a major cause for the kidney and cancer diseases. Economic analysis have pointed out that the dependence on vegetables and fruits fed by chemical fertilizer is injurious to health as well as to the country’s economy.

The Government has allocated 45,000 million rupees for the fertiliser subsidy whilst the price of a fertilizer bag now subsidized at Rs. 350 has gone up to Rs. 7,000 resulting in the mass exodus of country’s wealth to foreign countries.

Consequently the Government has launched a project to manufacture carbonic fertiliser with a capital outlay of Rs. 500 million. Another programme is to be launched to popularise the use of carbonic fertilizer among the farmers.

It was revealed that the paddy cultivation has increased by 62 per cent this time as against the previous year. 678,500 hectares will be cultivated in the next maha season. It was also revealed that the country can reach the target of 142 killogrammes of rice per head next year.

The President also directed the Consume Protection Authority to probe into the allegation that packeted rice is sold at Rs. 90 to Rs. 120 in super markets and furnish a report to him. Already a mechanism has been introduced to purchase paddy. The paddy harvest of the farmers in Kilinochchi area could also be purchased through the GA, the President pointed out.

Measures taken by the Government to develop the paddy cultivation, subsidiary food crops and vegetables were also discussed at the meeting. Since the local cultivation of maize is quite sufficient for domestic consumption, the Government will not import maize this year.

Ministers Maithripala Sirisena, Hemakumara Nanayakkara, Gunaratne Weerakoon, Salinda Dissanayake, Siripala Gamlath, Senior Presidential Advisor, Basil Rajapaksa, a large number of Provincial Agriculture Ministers and Ministry Secretaries participated.