Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera, unveiled an ambitious plan on Saturday to provide affordable urea fertilizer to farmers during the upcoming 2023 Maha season. Speaking at a farmers' meeting in the Tissamaharama area, Minister Amaraweera announced that measures would be taken to offer a bag of urea fertilizer at a reduced price of Rs. 5,000, a significant decrease from the current market rate.
The minister acknowledged that the private sector had raised the price of urea fertilizer, but the government was determined to ease the burden on farmers. By slashing the price by Rs. 1,000, farmers will now have the opportunity to purchase a bag of urea fertilizer for Rs. 9,000 starting from June 15th. Furthermore, Minister Amaraweera pledged to explore options to lower the price even further, aiming for a price tag below Rs. 5,000 per bag by the Maha season.
Minister Amaraweera attributed these favourable developments to the government's efforts to stabilize the economy and strengthen the Sri Lankan Rupee. He expressed confidence in the ability to further reduce fertilizer prices due to these factors. To support this commitment, a ship carrying 22,500 metric tons of urea fertilizer from Oman arrived yesterday.
Minister Amaraweera wasted no time in ensuring the swift distribution of the newly arrived fertilizer. Upon the completion of the unloading process, he instructed the distribution to commence immediately through Agrarian Service Centers. This move aims to promptly make affordable fertilizer accessible to farmers across the country.
Additionally, the Ministry of Agriculture announced that 70 percent of the subsidy vouchers, issued by the government to assist farmers in purchasing fertilizers, have been distributed. The subsidy vouchers cover all agricultural service areas in the country. In a recent progress review meeting chaired by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, it was confirmed that the subsidy program had reached significant milestones.
Under this program, paddy farmers are eligible for a subsidy of Rs. 20,000 per hectare, with an increased subsidy of Rs. 40,000 for farmers cultivating two hectares of land. The successful distribution of fertilizer subsidy vouchers in the Polonnaruwa district on Saturday further demonstrated the government's commitment to supporting farmers and ensuring the availability of affordable fertilizers.
