President Gotabaya has launched new initiatives to boost the production of Organic fertilizer in Sri Lanka.
During a meeting held last Thursday (03),at the Presidential Secretariat, the President advised officials to:
- study the machinery required to produce organic fertiliser
- manufacture machines to be built locally, in collaboration with the Army Engineers Corps at State-owned factories and import the rest.
State Minister Mohan de Silva, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Finance Secretary S.R. Attygalle, secretaries and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture and line State ministries were also present at the meeting.
The President has acknowledged that officials will face certain challenges in the implementation of this project. However all efforts must be made to establish the production of organic fertilizer as it aligns with the National Policy Framework ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendour’, guaranteeing a non toxic diet to the citizens of Sri Lanka.
As a first step, the President officially handed over the soil testing equipment to the Commissioner-General of Agrarian Services and the Director-General of Agriculture.
President Rajapaksa also stressed that in order for this initiative to be a success,farmers will need to receive sufficient quotas of fertilizer, under this program. Accordingly, it has been decided that
- raw material needed for the production of organic fertiliser can be easily obtained from the rural environment itself.
- fertilizer production will take place at rural level,only the required quantity of organic fertiliser will be provided to the farmers
- a special program will be launched to inspect the soil
- local institutions and farmers will receive training and technical knowledge, with regards to the production of organic fertilizer
