First shipment carrying 13,000 MT urea unloaded

The first shipment of 13,000 metric tons of urea fertilizer for paddy cultivation for the Maha season has reached the country. 

The cargo was freighted from China and unloaded at the port of Colombo.

The World Bank has provided an amount of US$105 million as a loan to procure urea needed for this paddy cultivation season. 

Arrangements have been made to deliver the first consignment of urea to the Agrarian Service Centers in Batticaloa, Ampara, and Trincomalee districts so that they can get the entire requirement for the first, second, and third supply for paddy cultivation at one time.

Even though paddy cultivation in the Maha season has not yet started, measures have been taken to send adequate stocks to all agricultural service centres for the first application of the fertilizer within 14 days of sowing seed paddy.

According to the second tender, the second ship carrying 120,000 MT scheduled to reach Colombo during the last week of November.

Addressing the event, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that the Ministry is providing 7,500 MT of fertilizer to Batticaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee districts. 

"We have already distributed adequate supplies of urea for the first shift to other districts. The Minister said that by the last week of next month, all the necessary measures need to be taken to provide the complete supply of both types of fertilizers, such as urea and MOP.

We randomly checked each fertilizer bag to see if it contained 50kg of urea.

Even though the price of urea has increased in the world market, we are giving a bag for Rs. 10,000.

Therefore, the government requested the farmers to cultivate without any hesitation during this Maha season. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)