26 million kilo increase in tea output last year despite fertiliser crisis

The total output of tea plantations had increased in 2021, compared to 2020, Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said at the opening of a multi-purpose building at the Batahena Dharmagaveshi Temple.

“Tea harvest in the year 2020 was 279 million kilos and it was 305 million kilos in 2021. We are also thinking about providing a subsidy for chemical fertilizers or to reduce the price of fertilizers within the next three months,” he said.

The Minister also laid the foundation stone for the Tea Smallholdings Development Authority and the Tea Leaf and Agricultural Products Marketing Centre and the Green Tea Collection and Agricultural Product Marketing Centre at Opatha, Galle. The Tea Small Holdings Development Authority has spent Rs. 13.4 million on the project under the Star project, which will serve about 2,500 tea smallholders in the area.

“At present the prices of not only fertilisers but also fuel, milk powder, cement and food items in the world market have gone up. Transport costs have gone up. The world’s manufacturing economy has collapsed due to the spread of the coronavirus. Due to these problems the prices of goods in our country as well as in the world have gone up. No government in the world wants to increase commodity prices and make people queue up during its rule,” he said.

The Minister said that the ban on chemical fertilisers was well-intentioned, but some sectors, including the tea industry, found it difficult to manage without agro-chemicals. However, the government was bringing down chemical fertiliser.

“But a 50 kg bag of fertiliser costs Rs. 7,200. People cannot afford that price. Although relief cannot be given immediately, the government is taking steps to provide relief in a systematic manner. We will provide a subsidy for fertiliser within the next two to three months. We are also working to reduce fertiliser prices,” he said.

\Minister Pathirana said that the tea industry was showing signs of improvement. Tea production in 2020 was 279 million kg. But despite the fertilizer crisis, the sector produced 305 million kilos of tea last year, he said.

“The government will implement several programs in the future to promote tea cultivation. However, the people are not aware of the projects implemented by the government. I allocated Rs. 1.5 billion for a project to provide water for cultivation. But not even fifty percent of that money has been spent. The World Bank Loan Scheme will provide US $ 20 million for the development of tea cultivation. We will provide that money to the people through public and private banks,” he said.

The Minister said that tea plants, compost, high shade plants, short shade plants, dolomite were provided free of charge. Applying too much chemical fertilizer did not increase the yield much.

“Fertilizer has clearly been misused in our country. In order to get a very high yield, organic fertilisers should be applied along with chemical fertilisers,” he said.