The government has decided to revert back to the old way of providing required fertilizer directly to the farmers at subsidized prices instead of the giving vouchers, the Minister of Lands and Land Development, MP and Co-Cabinet Spokesman Gayantha Karunathilake said.
Accordingly, a bag of fertilizer for paddy cultivation will be given at a concessionary rate of Rs. 500 per bag, and at a rate of Rs. 1500 per bag for tea, coconut, rubber, and maize.
Co-Cabinet Spokesman added that the cabinet also focused its attention on providing fertilizer to the farmers without a shortage.
Meanwhile, the cabinet of ministers has given approval to procure the chemical fertilizers for the paddy cultivation in Yala Season that will be distributed by the Ceylon Fertilizer Company Limited (Lak Pohora) and Commercial Fertilizer Co. Ltd. (Commercial Fertilizer) under the Ministry of Agriculture and call bids from international suppliers.
According to a proposal made by Minister of agriculture Duminda Dissanayake, with the recommendation of Special Standing Procurement Committee, appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers it was decided to purchase Chemical Fertilizers, as follows.
• 24,000 Metric Tons of Urea Fertilizer from M/s Ameropa Asia (Pvt.)Ltd.
(1 Metric Ton of Urea Fertilizer for US $ 307.18)
• 18,000 Triple Super Phosphate from M/s Agri Commodities & Finance FZE
(1 Metric Ton of Super Phosphate for US $ 333.5)
• 18,000 Metric Tons of Muriate of Potash from M/s Agricultural Resources and Investment (Pvt.) Ltd. (1 Metric Ton of Muriate of Potash for US $ 315.85)
