First fertiliser shipment from Pakistan expected next week: Duminda Dissanayake

• Says Govt. helpless, shortage due to external issues 
• 200 delivery trucks deployed for island-wide distribution

The first stock of a much-awaited fertiliser shipment from Pakistan weighing 50,000 MT is on its way to Sri Lanka, with its arrival and distribution expected early next week, Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake said. 

Smaller shipments of fertiliser imported by private entities are now arriving in the country, Dissanayake told the Daily FT. 

“There was a shipment of 2,000 MT of fertiliser today as well. The big shipment the Government ordered is now sailing to arrive in Sri Lanka by 8 January. It will take six days for the shipment to arrive in the country. We will start distribution immediately,” he said. 

The shipment expected next Monday is the first delivery of the emergency order of 72,000 MT the Sri Lankan Government placed with the Pakistan Government following the shortage. President Maithripala Sirisena intervened to speak to Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to make a special request for the fertiliser shipment. The second part of the shipment – another 22,000 MT - is expected to be delivered on 14 January, Dissanayake confirmed. 

A decision taken by the Pakistani Government to halt all exports of fertiliser affected Sri Lankan fertiliser imports up to 40,000 MT, causing a severe shortage in the domestic market.

“We were not duly informed. We cannot help the situation. When suddenly 40,000 MT did not materialise we had to go through the Government tender process again and that takes time. The delivery of a shipment also takes time. Unfortunately we will have to bear the loss in this situation,” Dissanayake said. 

Cabinet Co-spokesperson Rajitha Senaratne told journalists at a Cabinet press briefing held yesterday that the Government has kept 200 lorries on standby to commence island-wide distribution of the fertiliser. 

 “The shipment of 40,000 tonnes is expected later in the month. Then the shortage will be addressed effectively,” Dissanayake. 

Despite the Cabinet discussion focusing on providing the fertiliser free of charge to farmers, the Government will maintain a Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of Rs. 2,500 per 50 kilo bag. The difference between the market price and the MRP will be paid to fertiliser companies by the Government, Dissanayake said.