Fertiliser Distribution Centre and warehouse for each Agrarian Service Centre
Tuesday, 7 January 2014 00:01
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The Government yesterday announced that measures will be taken to establish a Fertiliser Distribution Centre and a Fertiliser Warehouse for all 554 Agrarian Service Centres established island wide.
This program will be implemented so as to streamline the current methodology of distributing fertiliser and to ensure that adequate amounts of fertiliser are supplied to farmers at the guaranteed price of the Government. The ultimate target of this program is to convert all the Agrarian Service Centres of the island into centres where farmers are able to fulfil all their needs under one roof.
The instructions in this respect were given at a discussion held at the Ministry of Finance and Planning chaired by Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, Secretary to the Treasury with the participation of officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and representatives of the Government Owned Fertiliser Companies.
Approximately, 750,000 metric tons of fertilisers are imported to Sri Lanka per year and over Rs. 50 billion is expended for the said purpose. Fertiliser subsidies granted by the Government have resulted in motivating the farmers and encouraging them to generate higher income through farming. A proper methodology ought to be followed in using fertiliser as application of chemical fertiliser up to a certain extent is essential in order to obtain the expected harvest from a crop.
Treasury Secretary Dr. P.B. Jayasundera instructed the relevant officers to increase the Government contribution in the distribution of fertiliser in the local market up to 40% in order to ensure that fertiliser subsidy is granted to farmers without a shortage.
Fertiliser subsidy program is being continued by the Government for nine years and it has already completed the payment of Rs. 6,600 billion which was due to the private sector for the implementation of fertiliser subsidy program. Government has taken all the necessary steps to supply a 50 kilogram bag of fertiliser at price of Rs. 350 for paddy cultivation and to supply the same at a price of Rs. 1250 for all other crops without a shortage in the future too.
