Govt allocates Rs 2,280 m for coconut fertilizer subsidies

The Government has allocated Rs 2,280 million to provide fertilizer subsidy for coconut cultivators, said Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa yesterday.

Minister Rajapaksa was speaking at a special program titled Kapruka Diriya fertilizer subsidy organized by the Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development Ministry at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall. The government will provide the fertilizer subsidy with immediate effect to coconut cultivators, regardless of the extent of their plantation, he added.

Minister Rajapaksa noted that the increase in production and per capita income are the solutions to reduce cost of living. "Only giving a fertilizer subsidy is not enough, a fair price should be given to farmers' produce to uplift their lifestyles," he noted. "Providing coconuts to consumers at a reasonable price and giving a fair price to coconut cultivators should be our priority today," said Coconut Development and Janatha Estate Development Minister Jagath Pushpakumara. Rural Affairs (Senior) Minister Athauda Seneviratne, Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S M Chandrasena, Coconut Development Board Chairman Sarath Keerthisena, Secretary Anura Siriwardhana, Additional Secretary D M I Bandaranayake, P R Bandula Kumara and District and Divisional officers also participated.