By Ajith Siriwardana  

The Chinese fertilizer company Seawin Biotech refused to refund the money paid for the controversial organic fertilizer shipment or provide chemical fertilizer in place of the ordered organic fertilizer, Agricultural Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said yesterday.  

He told a news conference at the Government Information Department that the Chinese Company was insisting that Sri Lanka should procure the organic fertilizer as ordered.   

The Minister said a team headed by an additional secretary to the Agricultural Ministry was continuing discussions with the Chinese Company with regard to the fertilizer shipment.  

“I looked into the possibility of reclaiming the US Dollars 6.9 paid to the Chinese Company or obtaining chemical fertilizer to allow for the paid amount. However, the Company objected to both requests. They insist that we should obtain organic fertilizer as originally ordered. We risk losing both money and fertilizer,’ he said.  

The Minister said Sri Lanka was not having standards for organic fertilizer and that he instructed the Sri Lanka Standard Institute to prepare standards required for organic fertilizer.  

“The Chinese Company said they could not provide organic fertilizer on par with the standards set by Sri Lanka’s National Plant Quarantine Services (NPQS),” he said.  

The Minister said there was an ongoing court case with regard to the said shipment and added that the Ministry was waiting for the ruling of the court case to decide on further steps.