Govt. promises fertiliser for Maha cultivation at Yala price

By Ifham Nizam

The Agriculture Ministry yesterday expedited the distribution of urea fertiliser required for the Maha season in Ampara, Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, Jaffna, Anuradhapura and Moneragala.

Following a request by Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, steps have been taken to provide urea fertiliser for the Maha season at a price of Rs. 10,000, as in the Yala season.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has approved a proposal to provide 50 kg bag of fertiliser at the above price.

A bag of urea fertiliser weighing 50 kg is to be provided at Rs. 15,000 for tea and maize cultivations.

Agriculture, Wildlife and Forest Resources Development Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the officials of the Ministry of Agriculture to take steps to promptly send the urea fertiliser needed for the Maha season to Ampara, Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, Jaffna, Anuradhapura, and Moneragala, which have concluded the Yala season.

Officials said that paddy cultivation for the Maha season in those districts is scheduled to start in the first two weeks of next October. Therefore, the aim of the Ministry of Agriculture is to give the farmers the opportunity to easily buy urea fertilizers by providing them to the Agrarian Services Centres countrywide.

In addition to urea fertilizers, the Minister of Agriculture has emphasized that all arrangements have already been made to provide MOP (Murate of Potash) fertilizers for paddy cultivation next Maha season.