Over 369,800 tonnes fertilizer distributed in 2009

Parliamentary corrs

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said in Parliament yesterday that the Government had distributed 369,845 tonnes of fertilizer among paddy farmers in 2009 as subsidy. “There are 10 main paddy cultivating districts in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Under the subsidy scheme 55,470 tonnes have been supplied to Ampara, 56,084 tonnes to Polonnaruwa, 47,008 tonnes to Kurunegala, 78,000 tonnes to Anuradhapura, 18,984 tonnes to Batticaloa, 37,662 tonnes to Hambantota, 17,315 tonnes to Trincomalee, 25,128 tonnes to Badulla, 19,051 tonnes to Moneragala and 15,138 tonnes to Matale. The Minister said that a paddy harvest of 93,679 million bushels and 54,311 million bushels were obtained from 10 districts during Yala and Maha seasons in 2009-2010.

Minister Abeywardena said that all farmers cultivating paddy have been provided fertilizer as a subsidy. The quality of fertilizer is maintained at a satisfactory level.