Top officials affirm no change to govt.’s organic fertilizer-only policy

• Say transforming a country accustomed to using chemical fertilizers for decades towards organic fertilizer is a challenge
• Experts from State universities, faculties of agriculture and other experts in the field consulted for advise
• Plans already been made to provide required amount of organic fertilizer to each area based on code given to farmers following soil test

While acknowledging it’s a challenging endeavour to make the shift towards organic fertilizer, top State officials yesterday affirmed that the government’s policy decision to ban the use of chemical fertilizers and to move towards organic fertilizers remains intact with a plan in place despite “some decisions” been made based on scientific facts.

Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga along with the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture Senior Professor Udith K. Jayasinghe and the Finance Ministry Secretary S.R. Attygalle yesterday shared these remarks taking part in a media briefing held on the theme, ‘Has the ban on chemical fertilizers been lifted?’ at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC).

Responding to media queries, Weeratunga outlined that the different opinions directed at the chemical fertilizer ban was reasonable, as it would be a challenging endeavour to transform a country that had been accustomed to using chemical fertilizers for decades towards organic fertilizer.

In a Gazette Extraordinary No. 2238/45 dated July 31, 2021 signed by Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa brought chelated minerals and micro nutrients under the control of import licences for plant nutrients including several nitrogenous, phosphatic, potassic mineral or chemical fertilizers as well as mineral or chemical fertilizers containing two or three of the fertilizing elements with effect from July 31.

However, Prof. Jayasinghe stressed that only natural minerals and chelated-matter produced using plant nutrients would be imported, which are essential for the biological enrichment of the soil. Adding on to that, Attygalle reiterated that measures to import chelated minerals and micro nutrients are being implemented under the strict supervision and recommendation of the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant institutions.

The officials noted that plans have already been made to provide the required amount of organic fertilizer to each area based on a code given to farmers following a soil test. Director General of Department of Agriculture Dr. Ajantha de Silva announced that the Department has made arrangements to commence soil tests starting from next week. Moreover, Prof. Jayasinghe noted that a mechanism has been implemented to monitor these activities on a weekly basis and plans are afoot to apply new technologies and techniques for this purpose as the use of organic fertilizer would be a brand-new experience for many farmers. He further added that the experts from State universities, faculties of agriculture and other experts in the field would also be consulted on this.