The Government will provide the price of a bundle of urea fertilizer to the farmers at a price lower than Rs.5,000 from next Maha season, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said. Minister Amaraweera said the government will provide the price of a bundle of urea fertilizer to the farmers at a price less than Rs.5,000 from next Maha Season, the Minister participating in a farmers’ meeting held at Tissamaharama said yesterday (10).
The Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurship Village programme started yesterday in Julpallama and Kavantissapura areas of Hambantota and the Minister expressed these views while participating in the farmers’ meeting held for the purpose.
“Farmers did not get even a drop of fertilizer in the past. At such a time, we provided urea fertilizer to the farmers in the 2022 Yala Season. By that time, the price of a bundle of urea fertilizer in the market had exceeded Rs.42,000,”he said.
“But we gave Rs.10,000.At the same time, due to the reduction in the price of fertilizers by the private sector, the price of urea has decreased to Rs.11,000,”he said.
“Last Maha Season we gave both MOP fertilizer and Urea fertilizer to the farmers. Also, this year, we gave TSP fertilizer to all the farmers free. After three cropping seasons, measures were taken to provide the farmers with all three types of fertilizers namely TSP, urea fertilizer and MOP fertilizer in this season.
“We have reduced the price of MOP fertilizer, which was given at Rs.19,500 in the last season, to Rs.15,000, a reduction of Rs.4,500.
“Also, in the next Maha Season, we will further reduce the price of Urea fertilizer. Now the price of fertilizers in the private sector has been increased. A ship carrying 22,500 metric tonnes of urea fertilizer arrived at the port today. We will send these to all the Agrarian centers from next Monday.
However, we are working to sell the price of a bundle of urea fertilizer for less than Rs.5,000 from next Maha Season. The Minister also mentioned that then the farmers will get use that benefits.