Farmers - the forgotten lot

Remember the countrywide protests by the farmers after their crops were destroyed due to lack of chemical fertilizer and the other agrochemicals? As if the allegation by the then Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage that the farmers were agitating after being incited by the Opposition politicians are proven true, no such protests are now being reported. 

He was wrong and his allegation was politically motivated and malicious. In fact the ban on chemical fertilizer imports impacted heavily on the agricultural sector including the export oriented plantations such as tea. However, their voice seems to have been eclipsed these days by the common struggle by people belonged to all sectors for the ouster of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and his government.

The President who has been maintaining the same stance as the former Agriculture Minister confessed after his latest Cabinet was sworn in on April 18 that the banning of chemical fertilizer imports was a mistake and promised to supply it in the future. However, it is not clear if he really understood the extent of damage done to the agricultural sector and thereby to the food security of the country by the ill-timed and ill-advised decision. 
Also, the accountability seems just to end with a simple acknowledgement of the “mistake.” Despite his acknowledgement, it is not clear that he really understood the gravity of his “mistake,” as he had even very recently – even after crops of two harvesting seasons were destroyed – stated that the Opposition was behind the farmers’ agitations. That showed he has totally been cut off from the common man and has been totally relying on the information given by the ministers who have other agendas. He should have a proper mechanism and proper channels to understand the real situation on the ground. 

Despite repeated assurances by the former minister Aluthgamage that the food security in the country is not threatened, the Chinese Ambassador recently announced that his government has decided to provide 2000 metric tons of rice as an emergency relief to Sri Lanka. Since the daily rice consumption in Sri Lanka is around 6500 metric tons, this amount is only sufficient for one out of three meals of a day and the Chinese Embassy said in a statement that this donation was being made at the request of the Sri Lankan government. We have stooped to such paupers’ situation to request a foreign country to provide us rice for a single meal! 

From May last year, farmers in the country have been repeatedly hoodwinked by the government. The ban on fertilizer imports left them high and dry during the Yala Season last year as the decision was taken without giving them sufficient time to make adjustments. Then the government announced that it would supply sufficient organic fertilizer for the Maha Season, but failed to keep its promise. The liquid “organic fertilizer” that was imported from India was rejected by farmers and that too was supplied only to a limited number of farmers. 

And it was revealed that Indian fertilizer had been purchased at 150% higher price than its normal price.
A shipment of Chinese organic fertilizer failed the tests conducted by the local laboratories and had to be returned, creating a diplomatic row between the two countries during which the Chinese government black-listed People’s Bank, a premier State bank in the country for refusing to pay for the rejected fertilizer. Then the bank decided to pay while the government announced that a fresh consignment would arrive, which too never happened. With these controversies overshadowing other issues, another harvesting season also passed without fertilizer. 
Minister Aluthgamage announced that farmers who had suffered losses due to unavailability of fertilizer and usage of “organic fertilizer” provided by the government would be compensated and that too proved to be another broken promise. Yet, with the countrywide anti-government protests breaking out, farmers have totally been forgotten even by the farmer organizations and the Opposition political parties.

Now that the President has acknowledged the “mistake” - a package of accountability too has to be entailed with it. It should be in the form of compensation and provision of sufficient fertilizer without discrimination and the government must make immediate arrangements for it. Discouraging the farmers and distancing the rural youth from agriculture is suicidal to the country, especially at a time when the country is facing a severe foreign exchange crisis.