Kurunegala District National Fertiliser Secretariat Assistant Director Bandara Herath told the Daily News that the government has spent nearly Rs.1.3 billion to supply fertiliser free-of-charge for Yala Season paddy farming.
He said that 169,055 acres of paddy fields in the district have been cultivated using chemical fertiliser, while 40,937 acres of paddy fields have been cultivated with combinations of chemical and organic fertilisers.
“We have provided 166,6985 metric tonnes of fertiliser to those using only chemical fertiliser,” Herath said. Moreover, 118,6092 metric tonnes of urea, 149,883 metric tonnes of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), and 331,009 metric tonnes of Muriate of Potash (MOP) have also been provided, he added.
The Assistant Director said that in addition to the previously-mentioned paddy fields, 16,375 hectares more in 22 Agrarian Service Divisions of the district have been cultivated using combinations of micro-organic, organic, and chemical fertilisers. Accordingly, the total extent of paddy lands cultivated in the Kurunegala District during this year’s Yala Season stands at 209,992 acres, he added.
