Urea fertilizer is being distributed in the Anuradhapura District now. Anuradhapura District Deputy Agrarian Development Commissioner Chaminda Ekanayake told the Daily News that the region needs 5,000 metric tonnes of urea but only 2,000 MT of urea has been sold in the last two weeks.
He said that the farmers who have cultivated paddy within 50 days after sowing on July 1 were eligible to have the urea quota at Rs. 10,000 per bag of 100 kg per a hectare. Ekanayake also said that a majority of farmers do not buy urea from the Agrarian Development Centres (ADCs) since they have already harvested paddy in the Yala season.
A majority of farmers sowed paddy in the Yala season without using any fertilizer - organic or chemical after waiting for subsidised urea and other fertilizer varieties as promised by the authorities. Some farmers bought urea from the fertilizer black market at Rs. 45,000 per bag of 100 kg. Under these circumstances, several Agrarian Development Centres have refused any urea since there is no demand for the stuff.
Meanwhile, supervising over the distribution of fertilizer have paralysed due to the fuel shortage. On the other hand, unexpected heavy winds these days in the Anuradhapura District are badly affecting harvesting.
Deputy Agrarian Commissioner Ekanayake also said that 5,000 metric tonnes of urea will not be used in the 2022 Yala season and the balance could be distributed during the 2022/23 Maha season. He also said that only 68.000 hectares have been cultivated with paddy even though 91,500 hectares have been planned to be cultivated for the 2022 Yala season.
The farmers were not selling their paddy to buyers, millers or the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB). However, private dealers offer Rs. 130 -150 per kg of paddy at the threshing grounds since there will be a food shortage and a scarcity of seed paddy for 2022/23 Maha season.
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