• Farmers complain of non-receipt of fertiliser 

The Government has decided to permit the private sector to distribute urea fertiliser, Agriculture Department’s Director General, Dr Thushara Wickramaarachchi, said.

He said the prevailing fertiliser issue would be resolved within this week and urged that no false narrative of a fertilizer shortage be created, noting that farmers are particularly sensitive to such reports. Dr Wickramaarachchi further stated that sufficient fertilizer stocks are available in the country and that the Government has already prepared a program to procure fertilizer supplies for the forthcoming Maha season.

Meanwhile, despite having made payments to obtain the fertilizer required for cultivation, farmers have stated that they have yet to receive their allocations. Further, farmers in Dehiattakandiya are reportedly facing considerable difficulties due to the distribution of substandard fertiliser through Agrarian Service Centres.

However, reports from several Districts indicate that a number of farmers have still not received fertilizer. Farmers have indicated that the existing shortage is adversely affecting crop health and increasing the vulnerability to fungal diseases. They have also stated that the situation has been aggravated by the unavailability of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), or mud fertiliser, despite the urgent requirement. According to farmers, although payments were made to Agrarian Service Centres last month (in April) to obtain mud fertiliser, sufficient quantities have not been received to date. Meanwhile, farmers allege that the mud fertilizer distributed through the Sandunpura Agrarian Service Centre to farmers in Dehiattakandiya and the Mahaweli “C” Zone at a price of Rs. 13,250 is of substandard quality. Farmers further claim that the fertilizer sacks supplied do not carry the product name, manufacturing date or expiry date, and that it cannot be used in paddy fields.

This is despite repeated assurances by several political representatives, including the Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Minister K.D. Lal Kantha, that all types of fertilizer required for the Yala season are available in the country and that the mechanism for distribution to farmers has already been launched.