Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Namal Karunaratne, stated that a ship carrying 25,000 metric tons of fertilizer is scheduled to arrive in the country tomorrow (April 5).
He further emphasized that the government has the capability to successfully manage the fertilizer challenges arising from the current global situation.
The Deputy Minister pointed out that, although concerns regarding fertilizer emerged among the farming community at the onset of the Yala season, the country currently maintains stocks of Muriate of Potash (MOP) and Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) fertilizer (“Mada Pohora”) that exceed the current requirements.
While acknowledging a potential minor issue regarding Urea fertilizer, Karunaratne noted that nearly 100,000 metric tons are already available in the country, which is sufficient compared to the 80,000 metric tons required for paddy cultivation.
However, considering the requirements for intercrops and supplementary crops, additional stocks may be necessary. To meet this demand, a ship carrying 25,000 metric tons of fertilizer is set to arrive on April 5, and orders have already been placed for further shipments in the near future, he said.
