Although the Government has taken a decision to stop the import of chemical fertilizer, it has failed to provide alternative suitable fertilizer to farmers, JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday.
Speaking to the media at the JVP office, Battaramulla he said by not doing so, crops have been destroyed.
“Farmers are now surrounding fertilizer stores. They express great disappointment. The problem of herbicides and pesticides is also very serious. Today farmers have to buy agro chemicals at highest prices without discounts. Earlier they used to get 20% to 40% discounts for such products”.
Dissanayake went on to say that it was evident that the government implemented these decisions without paying attention to all areas.
“Many sectors such as vegetable cultivation and long term cultivation such as tea, coconut and rubber require agrochemical inputs. The main risk is short term vegetable cultivation. Short-term crops like paddy, beans, potatoes and cabbage are two to three months old. Therefore, inputs have to be provided in a timely manner. Today, farmers are facing serious problems due to the inability to provide suitable fertilizer, herbicides and pesticides in a timely manner. Banana cultivation is also under threat,” he said.