Agriculture Minister Duminda Dissanayake yesterday requested the public to inform the Fertilizer Secretariat or the Agrarian Services centres, if an individual tries to sell fertilizer above the existing price structure to get undue advantage from the fertilizer subsidy given to the farmers.
He said that the ministry will take legal action against any person involved in selling fertilizer above the market price. Minister Dissanayake also said that stern action would also be taken against any individual who is involved in selling substandard fertilizer.
The minister while stressing the importance of encouraging the people in using organic fertilizer as much as possible, said that subsidies would be introduced to farmers using organic fertilizer in the future.
Dissanayake was speaking at a press conference at his ministry last morning. The minister added that the farmers were granted a fertiliser subsidy worth Rs. 25,000 per hectare through the last budget. "The Ministry has taken measures to provide a fertiliser subsidy worth Rs. 50,000 per two hectares and farmers are given a subsidy of Rs.25,000 per season through this budget,"he said Farmers cultivating plantains, papaw and pineapple will also receive fertilizer subsidy for the first time from January.
"We hope to popularize the home gardening project by distributing seeds and saplings among the farmer community and householders interested in planting food crops in their home gardens,"he said.
He said that the country's 554 Agrarian Services centres will be linked to provide streamlined services to the farmers.
"A programme will also be implemented to register the farmers in the country this year," he said
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