• Importation to be carried out through CPC; later private parties will be allowed
• RPCs require 500,000 litres of glyphosate annually for tea alone 

By Nishel Fernando
The first consignment of popular weedicide glyphosate for tea and rubber crops is expected to arrive this December, Plantation Industries and Industries Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana told Mirror Business.

According to a senior government official, the Plantation Industries Ministry is working with Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) to import the required glyphosate for the tea and rubber plantations. 

“We have calculated the requirement for tea and rubber. We are planning to import through CPC.
End of this year, the first consignment of glyphosate will arrive in the country,” the official said.

Although the required glyphosate is to be imported through CPC initially, the government is planning to allow registered private sector entitles to allow importation of glyphosate, strictly based on industry requirements.
When inquired if CPC has sufficient forex to finance the imports of glyphosate, the official noted that CPC was yet to inform any issues regarding this. 

“They have not informed us on any such problems,” the official added.

The plantation sector remains optimistic of receiving glyphosate by the end of this year.

“The minister is working tirelessly towards this. We are hopeful of getting it through,” a representative of the Planters’ Association (PA) told Mirror Business.

Typically, the Regional Plantation Companies require around 500,000 litres of glyphosate annually for tea alone. However, given the non-application of glyphosate or any other effective weedicide over a one-year period, the PA official stressed that they may require more glyphosate initially.

“We need to definitely spray far more than that,” he added.

The Finance Ministry lifted the import ban on glyphosate, with effect from August 5, while allowing glyphosate imports into the country subject to import control licence requirement.