By Ifham Nizam
Environment Ministry Secretary, Dr. Anil Jasinghe, has appointed seven Sub-Committees on Organic Fertiliser Production; Quality Control and Supply Network Management; Underutilised Land Development; Organic Crop Growers and Food Producers and Indigenous Market Creation; Renewable Energy and Electric Transport Promotion; Forest and Pollution Reduction, Wildlife Habitat Restoration and Biodiversity; and Green Finance and International Cooperation.
Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said the Presidential Task Force on Transforming Sri Lanka Facing Climate Change had decided to prioritise the provision of organic fertiliser to farmers without a shortage for the next Maha season,.
Amaraweera, who is the new Chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Transforming Sri Lanka Facing Climate Change, chaired its first Ministerial Meeting at the Ministry of Environment on Monday. Ministers Duminda Dissanayake, Janaka Wakkumbura, Arundika Fernando, participated live while Ministers Shashindra Rajapaksa and Mohan Silva through ZOOM technology and officials also participated in the discussion.
The first discussion focused on providing fertiliser to the farming community during the 2021 Maha season. Minister Shashindra Rajapaksa informed the Task Force that the government would produce enough organic fertiliser.
Minister Duminda Dissanayake inquired whether the government had made it mandatory for compost fertiliser to contain Nitrogen at the level of 3%. Minister Shashindra Rajapaksa said that no such decision had been taken and that even if 01 percent Nitrogen was present, it could be used as compost. He added that it was possible to increase the nitrogen content of composts with a booster.
Rajapaksa said the government was ready to buy compost produced by farmers. He said the import of Murate of Potash (MOP) required for coconut cultivation would be permitted.
Amaraweera said that the Ministry of Environment was experimenting with the production of organic fertiliser, insecticides and herbicides using invasive plants such as Kalapu Andara (Proposopis Juliflora) and Giant Nidikumba (Mimosa Pigra) in the forests of the country.
Island.lk
, Local, carry,change:,climate,enable,face,seven,specific,sub-committees,tasks,