Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa says that the tea harvest has dropped by 50% in the present.
He also says that our country is losing its ‘Ceylon Tea’ reputation due to the government’s arbitrary decision to ban fertilizer.
Due to this, the tea industry has suffered a severe setback and the livelihood of the tea farmer has collapsed, he said.
The Leader of the Opposition participated in the ‘Govi Hadagasma’ program today (13) to inquire into the problems faced by tea farmers in the Wanduramba Mabotuwana area in the Baddegama electorate in the Galle District.
The Leader of the Opposition said that even a child knows that tea cultivation in Sri Lanka is not possible without chemicals and fertilizers, but the government is unaware of this.
The Leader of the Opposition said that T-65 fertilizer is essential for tea nurseries and when the nursery is not properly nourished, the tea plant and the resulting tea tree will deteriorate and lose the ability to obtain quality seedlings.
He said that when the tea leaves are being harvested, the tree loses some of its nutrients and if the tree is to grow, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium should be applied to the tree and the farmer has no fertilizer to apply to the tea tree due to the government’s decision. As a result, short-lived plants will lose the ability to get a long-lasting tea bush, he said.
The Leader of the Opposition said that successful commercial tea cultivation could not be done with organic fertilizers alone and that the tea industry was facing a serious tragedy.
Former Minister, Member of Parliament Gayantha Karunatilake, Former Minister Piyasena Gamage, Former Member of Parliament Wijepala Hettiarachchi, Member of Parliament and Bandula Lal Bandarigoda, Baddegama Chief Organizer of the Samagi Jana Balawega and many other public representatives were present at this occasion.
