Common fertilizer subsidy

Priyanka KURUGALA

The government will spend around Rs 50,000 million annually to implement the newly introduced fertilizer subsidy. A further Rs 15,600 million will be spent on the common subsidy for every crop except paddy, states an Agrarian Services and Wildlife Ministry spokesman.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has granted approval for this subsidy on the recommendations of Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S M Chardrasena. This scheme will be implemented with immediate effect, Ministry sources said.

The government has decided to implement the fertilizer subsidy programme as follows.

Paddy farmers who are cultivating up to two hectares of paddy are entitled to obtain 50kgs of Urea, Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) and Muriate of Potash (MOP) at Rs 350.

Other crops growers are entitled to obtain 50 kgs of all essential fertilizer types at Rs 1,200. Farmers are free to purchase at any authorized dealers at their convenience.

Under this programme the maximum retail price of 50 Kg of fertilizer mixtures should maintain at Rs 1,300.

According to the Mahinda Chinthana policy plan -2005 the farmers have been provided with 50kg of Urea, Triple Supper Phosphate(TSP) and Muriate of Potash (MOP) at Rs 350. This subsidy is entitled to all paddy farmers who are cultivating paddy fields up to two hectares.

In addition to that vegetable growers are also entitled to above subsidy to cultivate their corps in the paddy fields when water is not sufficient for paddy.

The Mahinda Chinthana Further Vision 2010 Policy document, has also emphasized this programme to continue and to cover all crop sectors.