Farmers advised to use carbonic fertilizer

Nimal Wijesinghe Anuradhaprua Additional District Group Corr

The Anuradhapura District Agriculture Committee has launched a programme to stimulate the farming community in the district to use more carbonic fertilizer for their cultivation and also for the adoption of biological controlling systems.

This propagating programme is based on the recent findings by researchers of both Rajarata and Kelaniya Universities that rice and water resources in areas such as Kebithigollewa, Padaviya, Nikawewa, Medawachchiya, Girandurukotte, Mederigiriya, Hingurakgoda contained a high percentage of poisonous arsenic and mercury which could cause kidney diseases and a range of other ailments.

The team researchers had come to the conclusion that the soil and water contamination had occurred due to the continuous usage of low quality weedicides and insecticides for cultivation purposes in these areas where the soil was brackish.

"It has been revealed according to recent media report that the research launched by the Rajarata University had revealed that the rice being produced in Padaviya and Mahawilachchiya areas contained dangerous levels of mercury and arsenic.

The uncontrolled utilization of chemicals to the soil could have been the major cause for the serious ailments.

Under these circumstances we urge the farmer community to use carbonic fertilizer as much as possible in place of artificial fertilizer and chemicals along with biological control systems to avoid disasters," Herath further stressed.

The Anuradhaprua District Agrarian Services Development Commissioner said that the use of carbonic fertilizer mixed with a minimum dose of chemical fertilizer would promise a healthier life and save billions flowing to foreign countries to buy fertilizer and chemicals.