President directs new initiatives to boost organic fertiliser use

• Steps to locally manufacture and also import machinery required for fertiliser production
• Required quantity of organic fertiliser to be recommended following soil test
• Soil testing equipment to be distributed to all Agrarian Service Centres
• Instructions to educate farmers 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, on Thursday, directed new initiatives to boost the production and application of organic fertiliser in the country as part of realising the self-imposed challenge of making Sri Lanka the first country in the world to go chemical-free in farming.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa advised officials to study the machinery required to produce organic fertiliser and manufacture machines that could be built locally with the assistance of the Army Engineers Corps at State-owned factories and import the rest.

The President gave these instructions at a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on the production of organic fertiliser.

Special attention was paid to the production of fertiliser at the Local Government level. The President also explained the need to impart technical knowledge to these institutions. The raw material required for the production of organic fertiliser can be conveniently obtained from the rural environment itself. 

The President highlighted that this would preserve the cleanliness and splendour of the village and at the same time a brand new rural economy network could be built with the assistance of the Samurdhi beneficiaries.  

A statement from President’s Media Office said challenges may arise when implementing this program, but in accordance with the National Policy Framework ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour,’ the right of the people to a non-toxic diet must be guaranteed to raise a healthy and efficient citizenry.  

Numerous elements across the globe claimed that it was impossible to defeat terrorism. A similar notion is shared by many with regard to the organic fertiliser program as well. 

“Overcoming this challenge is the need of the era,” the President emphasised. The President also stated that in order to make this program a success, it is imperative that the farmers be provided with the required amount of organic fertiliser without shortage.

Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage stated that the full quantity of organic fertiliser required for this purpose was expected to be produced locally and in case of any shortage, the required shortfall would be imported and stored by the Government.

Minister Aluthgamage said that steps would be taken to launch a special program to inspect the soil and recommend releasing only the required quantity of organic fertiliser to the farmers and to provide necessary soil testing equipment to all Agrarian Service Centres in the country.

State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa said that steps were being taken to provide the necessary technical knowledge to the farmers to produce organic fertiliser. It was also decided to provide a series of printed instructions to farmers to make them aware of the use of organic fertilisers.

The President officially handed over the soil testing equipment to the Commissioner-General of Agrarian Services and the Director-General of Agriculture.

State Minister Mohan de Silva, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Finance Secretary S.R. Attygalle, secretaries and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and line State ministries were also present at the meeting.