Govt. says ready to pay higher prices for organic paddy

• Says will pay higher prices than guaranteed prices if organic fertilizer usage reduces yield 

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has said his government stands ready to purchase paddy for higher prices than the guaranteed prices if there is any reduction in the yield due to use of organic fertilizer. Under President Rajapaksa’s instructions, Sri Lanka has banned the use of chemical fertilizer with immediate effect and farmers have been asked to use organic fertilizer in their farming activities.  Rice farmers, tea planters, coconut growers, and fruit and vegetable growers have voiced their concern on the policy decision, saying that the move could reduce their yields significantly, increase cost of production and ultimately could even threaten the country’s food security. 

Meanwhile, according to a media statement issued by the President’s Media Division (PMD), the government is also keen to provide necessary facilities to companies which imported chemical fertilizers to start producing organic fertilizer locally. 

“Some battles were lost in the mission to save the country from terrorism.

Finally, the country succeeded in defeating terrorism. Similarly, the government is ready to ensure the peoples’ right to a non-toxic meal by overcoming all the challenges,” said the Chairman of recently appointed ‘Presidential TaskForce on Creating a Green Sri Lanka with Sustainable Solutions to Climate Change,’ Basil Rajapaksa.