The government has decided to stop importing chemical fertilizer to save dwindling Dollar reserves, UNP Chairman Vajira Abeywardena said yesterday (23).
Abeywardena said that chemical fertilizer had been used for cultivation in the country for years and the country will have to face serious repercussions by stopping the import of chemical fertilizer and opting for organic fertilizer in a hurry. Abeywardena made these observations at a media briefing held at the Galle District UNP office yesterday (23).
Abeywardena observed, “It is important to have an eco-friendly policy on the environmental impact of fertilizer production. But it should incorporate a systematic method. The population of Sri Lanka is to increase to 28 million by the year 2050 and it is a factor we need to take into consideration as well.”
Abeywardena further said, “The Eppawala deposit has the potential to fulfill the requirement of all chemical fertilizers in Sri Lanka and the potential to increase the country’s export earnings to a large extent. In terms of chemical properties, the phosphate deposit as a whole is an underused deposit. Due to its geographical location, future demand for fertilizer and the availability of the most important raw material for chemical fertilizer production locally, Sri Lanka can become a commercial hub for the supply of fertilizer.”
“This decision will greatly affect our tea industry. If we look directly at that impact, about two million people in Sri Lanka make a living from the tea industry. Indirectly, this decision affects about 4 million.
That means transporters, hardware, tea shops, bankers, fertilizer companies and many more entrepreneurs,” Abeywardena added.