Use funds spent on chemical fertilizer to encourage organic fertilizer production - President

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed the relevant officials to take steps to provide organic fertilizer required for the ‘Maha’ Season to farmers without any shortage. 

The President has also emphasized the importance of implementing a comprehensive mechanism in consultation with all sectors in this regard, President’s Media Division stated.

As per PMD, the President’s objective is to transform the entire agricultural sector of the country to use organic fertilizers.

President Rajapaksa pointed out the need to achieve this goal, which aims for the benefit of future generations, without causing any hindrance to the farmers. For this purpose, the production capacity of organic fertilizers should be increased. The President instructed the officials to import the required quantity of high-quality organic fertilizer if the quantity of fertilizer produced locally is not sufficient.

The President had given these instructions during a special discussion held with the officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and the organic fertilizer manufacturers at the Presidential Secretariat recently.

Fertilizer manufacturers stated that the total amount of organic fertilizer required for agriculture can be produced locally within a few seasons.

The government spends large amounts of funds annually to import chemical fertilizers. The President said that this amount could be used to encourage the production of organic fertilizer. It was revealed at the discussion that the Ministry of Agriculture has taken a number of steps to make the program a success. State Banks have also come forward to offer low-interest loans to make the project a success.

Plans have been made to educate the Agricultural Instructors and Agricultural Research Officers at the district level on the use of organic fertilizers. The Ministers in charge of the subject pointed out that the mechanism required to purchase organic fertilizer produced in all parts of the country by the National Fertilizer Secretariat and to distribute the fertilizer based on the type of crops including paddy has been formulated.
The President has instructed the officials to inspect the soil at the rural level prior to the ‘Maha’ Season and obtain a report on the amount of fertilizer to be applied.

Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, State Ministers Mohan de Silva, Shasheendra Rajapaksa, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Secretaries to the Ministries in charge of the subject, and manufacturers of organic fertilizers were also present at this discussion.