Organic farming not introduced overnight; it was tested from 2019: Shasheendra

• The Agriculture Department has ample experience and observations on the implementation of organic farming
• Organic farming has been tested by the Agriculture Department for three seasons from 2019 
• Budget allocations have been made to provide fertiliser subsidies for organic fertiliser for the first time

 By Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera  

Refuting claims that chemical fertiliser was banned overnight, State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa said yesterday organic farming was tested by the Agriculture Department for three seasons from 2019.  

He told Parliament that the Agriculture Department tested on how organic farming could be done by getting farmers to use 30 percent of organic fertiliser and 70 percent chemical fertiliser for three seasons from 2019.  
The Minister said the Agriculture Department was having experience and observations on the implementation of organic farming.  

He said budget allocations have been made to provide fertiliser subsidies for organic fertiliser for the first time and added that it was provided only for chemical fertiliser earlier. “This is one reason for not being able to promote organic farming,” he said.

• The Agriculture Department tested on how organic farming could be done by getting farmers to use 30 percent of organic fertiliser and 70 percent chemical fertiliser for three seasons