Namal Karunaratne, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, stated that certain parties are spreading false propaganda claiming a fertilizer shortage in the country an attempt to mislead and instill fear among the farming community engaged in the nation’s agriculture sector.
The Deputy Minister explained that while 180,000 metric tons of urea are required for paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka, the current stock in the country exceeds this amount. He added that, following the application of urea, farmers require ‘Mada Pohora’ (base fertilizer) specifically Triple Super Phosphate (TSP).
Although approximately 25,000 tons of TSP are generally needed for cultivation during the ‘Maha’ (major) season, data from the Fertilizer Secretariat indicates that there are currently 31,000 tons of TSP available in the country, the Deputy Minister noted.
The Deputy Minister further stated that there is also a stock of over 5,000 tons of Single Super Phosphate (SSP) fertilizer available within the country.