The Fertilizer imports procedure should be done under the supervision of agricultural scientists appointed by the Government, Peradeniya University Agriculture Faculty’s Prof. Saman Dharmakeerthi said.
Prof. Dharmakeerthi highlighted that it is the duty of agricultural experts to check the scientific quality of fertilizer to be imported by the private sector in future.
He said the best option is to allow the Government controlled fertilizer companies to import fertilizer and distribute them to farmers through the countrywide Agrarian Service Centres at concessionary rates.
At this crucial moment when only the private sector has been allowed to import chemical fertilizer for paddy, vegetable and other cultivations carried out by over 600,000 farmers in the country, he said if only the private sector is given the authority to import chemical fertilizer there will be a possibility of importing substandard fertilizer which are and not suitable for our soil.
“As we all are aware the motive of the private sector is to earn profits without considering the real scientific quality of the imported fertilizer,” he said. Prof. Dharmakeerthi further said that fertilizer whether chemical or organic should be of the highest standards and the Government’s intervention is immensely needed when importing any variety of fertilizer into the country.“If the Government does not pay any attention towards imported fertilizer which are not examined by authorized agricultural scientists, the poor farmers continuously use them to their lands without knowing the quality of the fertilizer and the soil of such lands could damage even later,” he said.
by Daily News Sri Lanka
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