United association CropLife Sri Lanka says, Importing selected agri chemicals no solution to crisis

Permitting selected agricultural chemicals to be imported as a solution to the crisis, the agricultural sector in Sri Lanka has faced would not fulfill the complex requirements of the local agricultural sector, a leading agricultural products importers association said yesterday.   

CropLife Sri Lanka issuing a statement said the authorities had been informed several times with regard to this, but no response was received.   

Highlighting the need for weedicides for many crops including paddy and sorghum, the organization said agricultural chemicals prohibited for use in Sri Lanka are being distributed among farmers illegally with the implementation of the current policy regarding agricultural chemicals.   

CropLife Sri Lanka, which is the united association of all parties engaged in registering, importing and distributing crop protection products in Sri Lanka supplies more than 150 crop protection products needed for local agriculture under pesticide regulations.   

The organization said farmers were reluctant to cultivate in the upcoming Maha season with the shortage of agricultural chemicals.   

“This could be risky and may directly affect the food security of the country in the future. Authorities should take immediate measures to provide farmers with weedicides, pesticides, fungicides and seed treatments required to cultivate successfully in the coming Maha season through the previous methods and the distributing network.” the organization added.   

With the introduction of the current agricultural policy, importation of agricultural chemical products was prohibited with effect from April 27.