NCE hails fertilizer price reduction

The Government’s decision to reduce prices of all fertilizer extended to all crops has laid the foundation for an unprecedented era in export agriculture in Sri Lanka, National Chamber of Exporters of Sri Lanka President Sarath De Silva said.

“The fertilizer subsidy of paddy farmers has guaranteed that our staple food is secured. It has made the farmer stronger, and be able to withstand the shocks of global warming manifested in the form of periods of extreme weather,” he said.

“As exporters we feel the whole nation will from now on join in the production of agri-based raw materials, which is the industry raw material that will enhance the export of value added Sri Lankan Agri-exports of spices , fruits and vegetables and pulses. The long-felt need of “a shot in the arm” to activate Agri-raw material productions has been achieved by this timely introduction of a fertilizer subsidy to all Agricultural crops from May 7, 2011,” he said.

He appealed to the Government to go a step further and make provision for the proposed Agri-cooperatives in the North Central, North and the Eastern Province.

“This will enable use of the above meaningful reduction in fertilizer prices to grow red chilies, big onions, green gram, black gram and kurrakkan to substitute imports saving billions of rupees for the Sri Lankan economy.

This will also enable to find a solution to the problem of identifying large parcels of lands that are required for the purpose of large-scale high tech agriculture in Sri Lanka,” he said.