No subsidies will be given to farmers for chemical fertilizer use after imports are carried out by companies, Co-Cabinet Spokesman Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said.
The government is very hopeful that the proper mixture of organic and chemical fertilizer would provide impetus and a boost to productivity that will see production gradually go up,the minister said at the weekly Cabinet media briefing held at the Government Information Department yesterday.
Minister Pathirana said that the government has given a free hand to the Agriculture and Plantation Ministers to import the required quantity of chemical fertilizer.
“But the policy of the government is to give prominence to organic cultivation and the organic fertilizer would be provided at a subsidized price. But chemical fertilizer would be sold at the market price and no subsidy would be given,” he said.
‘Act responsibly, no lockdown during season’
The government has not decided to impose a lockdown during the upcoming festive season, Co-Cabinet Spokesman Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana said.
He was responding to a question by a journalist at the weekly Cabinet media briefing held yesterday at the Government Information Department.
The Minister said that the health authorities have already issued necessary guidelines. But unfortunately, most people behave irresponsibly without adhering to these guidelines. He urged the public to strictly adhere to all COVID-19 guidelines during the festive season.
He said a majority of the country’s population are vaccinated and therefore all citizens must act responsibly during the festive season.
