• Govt. guarantees Rs.80 a kilo for organic paddy

By Kelum Bandara

The ruling Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) reiterated the need to forge ahead with organic farming since chemical farming practices for the last 60 years had triggered health concerns with as many as 10,000 people dying of chronic renal failure, a disease caused by toxic substances used in agriculture. 

Delivering his remarks during the regular weekly press conference at the party’s head office in Nelum Mawatha, Colombo, Lands Minister S.M. Chandrasena said Sri Lanka carried out organic farming before 1960 without any problem. He said the introduction of chemical farming had led to a crisis in the health sector with around 12,000 people falling sick with renal failure every year.

“We have 160,000 such people suffering from renal failure in the country. Besides, there are 30,000 cancer patients. Renal failure is nothing but a life-threatening disease. We spend billions of rupees annually for dialysis of kidney patients.  We should address this issue,” he said.

However, the Minister admitted the practical difficulties involved in the introduction of organic farming in the span of a short period.

“We know there are problems. But, in the greater interest of society, we have to move ahead with the well-intentioned decision by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa,” he said.

The Minister said the government would offer Rs.80 a kilo for organically cultivated paddy.
“We will give concessions for consumers,” he said.  

Commenting on farmers’ agitation for fertilizer, the Minister who represents Anuradhapura as one of the largest farming districts in the country said, “There is around 10 per cent of farmers involved in agitation. Other protestors are politically motivated people who are lackeys of Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake.  They are politically guided for protests. They are taken to the fields by these political henchmen to demonstrate with posters and banners. These are media stunts,” he said. 

• We know there are problems. But, in the greater interest of society, we have to move ahead with the well-intentioned decision by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa