The agriculture industry, which suffered repeated blows in the past few years due to the ill-timed and ill-advised policy decision to impose a blanket ban on chemical fertilizer imports and then the fuel shortage, has gradually picked up in the country. The Government has given the priority to provide the maximum support to farmers as they take up the task of feeding the Nation at a very challenging period.
The Daily News interviewed Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera on matters pertaining to his Ministry, while also inquiring his candid views on the current political affairs.
Excerpts of the interview:
Q: There were concerns of a food crisis a few months back. Are we out of that danger now?
A: There were predictions of a global food crisis. The predictions were that it would badly affect Sri Lanka too. With the limited availability of our staple food, rice, in the country at that time, we had to prepare for a possible food shortage, and that is why we went public and requested the people to cultivate as much as possible.
The people gave their maximum support and cultivated bare lands and home gardens with anything they could find. The Government implemented a strategic programme to face the challenge and it has yielded successful results, and because of that we have been able to solve that problem to a certain extent.
Now the local paddy production is sufficient to cater to our domestic demand. We do not need to import rice again. Compared to some other countries, we are in a better position now when it comes to food security. Our farmers have taken up the challenge to meet the domestic requirement and we have given our full support to them.
Q: How is the progress of the programmes to distribute fertilizer and fuel to farmers?
A: We have already secured the required quantity of fertilizer for the Yala Cultivation Season. The country will receive Triple Super Phosphate (TSP), or ‘Mada Pohora’, by March 20. We will distribute TSP free to the farmers through the Agrarian Services Centres.
The distribution of fuel received from China officially commenced on February 17. Farmers in some areas are yet to receive it, but the due quantity will be given to all of them.
Q: The Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided Rs. 8 billion to compensate farmers for crop damages. Those were to be distributed among 1.2 million farming families, but it was reported that Rs. 1.3 billion credited to the farmers’ accounts had returned due to errors in bank account numbers. Has this problem been rectified now?
A: We have sorted out the problem to a certain extent, but some money is yet to reach the farmers. We are looking into how this problem occurred. In some cases, the farmers have not given correct account numbers, but in some cases the fault lies with the officials. Therefore, I have asked for an investigation to determine whether it was an act of sabotage done purposefully to inconvenience the Government for some political gains.
Q: You have recently stated that six crop-damaging animals, namely peacocks, monkeys, toque macaques (‘Rilava’), grizzled giant squirrels (‘Dandu Lena’), porcupines, and wild boars, were removed from the list of protected animals in Sri Lanka. Isn’t that a green light to kill them? Have you sought the views of environmentalists before taking such a decision?
A: It was not my decision, but a committee that looked into the matter had recommended it. The committee is of the view that the population of these animals has to be controlled. There can be various interpretations to it. However, we have to look at the problem from the farmers’ side too. There has been a strong demand from them to take measures to safeguard their crops from wild animals.
A study conducted by the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute revealed that about 93 million coconuts had been destroyed by wild animals during the first half of last year. It has been found out that the crop damage caused by wild animals in Sri Lanka is Rs. 54 billion per year.
How to control this problem is the issue. We have sought advice from foreign countries and have consulted the local experts, but there is no proper solution yet. We are open to good proposals from anybody. If anybody has a sound proposal, we are ready to listen to that.
Q: Does that committee include any environmentalists?
A: The Committee is led by the Secretaries to the Agriculture Ministry and the Wildlife Ministry, and consists of Heads of all related institutions. It has presented the final report with some recommendations. We are in the process of obtaining views of other interested parties, and we have also invited environmentalists and wildlife enthusiasts to submit their views.
Q: There are different views about the proposed guaranteed price of Rs. 100 per kilogram of paddy for the Maha Cultivation Season. How does the Agriculture Ministry view this?
A: The said price of paddy was fixed by a committee led by the Finance Ministry Secretary after taking the views of all related parties. The purchasing of paddy will be done through the District Secretaries and the Divisional Secretaries, also partnering with small and medium scale rice mill owners. A sum of Rs. 10 billion has been allocated for this purpose. The rice we obtain in this manner will be distributed free among the low-income families, numbering to about 2.8 million. Each family will receive 10 kilograms of rice per month for two months (March and April). The programme will be extended further if necessary.
Q: Let’s turn to the current political situation. The Verite Research, based on a recent poll, has stated that the Government’s approval rate is very low. Do you agree if I say that the gap between the Government and the people has widened?
A: No, I don’t agree with that. Most of those researches were done by those with political connections. I do not agree that the Government has fared that badly. I am not trying to say that the people are 100 percent happy with the Government, but the people are not interested in an election. It is not the people but the political parties which demand an election. However, my take is that none of those parties has an approval rate of more than 30 percent. Many voters will not even vote.
Q: Will the financial problems faced by the Government today, which are being cited as reasons to postpone the LG Elections, be gone in a matter of another few months?
A: No, I would not say there will be a 100 percent change. However, we would be in a better position comparatively. The month of March is also difficult. The situation will be better after we receive the IMF financial assistance. Now the tourism industry and the remittances from migrant workers are improving. The export income is gradually picking up. Therefore, the financial situation will be comparatively better than today.
Q: People are heavily burdened due to Government taxing and the increase of electricity bills and all other expenses. However, people do not see politicians forgoing any of their privileges. There were recent reports of increasing the insurance cover for Members of Parliament (MPs). Isn’t the people’s frustration fair?
A: I must say that most of the media reports about increasing the MPs’ perks and privileges are not true. No vehicle permit has been given to the MPs. No new vehicle has been bought for Ministers. The MPs’ insurance has also not been increased as alleged. It still remains at Rs 200,000. The Media frequently reports that the MPs’ perks have increased, but those reports are untrue.
Sometimes, false media reports are published with the malicious intent of creating a public backlash for politicians. Various individuals comment based on these reports and they also get media publicity. A hatred towards the politicians has been created. Even though the public servants’ salaries were raised, the MPs’ salaries were not raised for about 15 years now. We have not even requested to do so as we know it is not proper at this time. Other privileges have also not been increased, but only slashed.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, I myself did not take the salary for some period, but diverted it to the COVID-19 Fund or other public welfare measures. All the Ministers are taking only the MPs’ salary now.
Q: You have held responsibilities in almost all Governments in the last 15 years. President Ranil Wickremesinghe, referring to the current situation in the county, recently said that ‘we are paying for the past sins’. Why were you tight-lipped when wrong decisions were made by the Governments’ you were part of?
A: True, I admit it. Not only me, we all have to admit that as politicians, we have politically failed to prevent the country from falling into the abyss. If any party says that they are not part of it, I reject that notion. The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and the United National Party (UNP) held the ruling power for a long period. Those in the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) too had been part of previous Governments. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) too had held Government positions in the past. All have to take the blame.
The country also faced many internal problems. For example, the war against the LTTE and the 88-89 JVP insurgency pushed the country back.
Not only the politicians, but also the bureaucracy is responsible for the current state of affairs in the country. The media too could have done a better job than relying just on criticism and false reports.
At the same time, the citizens cannot also get away from the responsibility. Many of them have been putting the self before the country, and have been thinking only what they can get from the country, and not what they can give back. We still have a welfare-dependent mentality. More or less, we all have to share the blame.
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