It has been confirmed in a survey conducted by Croplife Sri Lanka that due to the banning of fertilizers and chemicals without scientific and logical basis, the production of crops in Sri Lanka has decreased by 54% and the cost of production has increased by 67%.
Chairman of ‘Crop Life Sri Lanka’ organization Mr. Chamenda Wijeratne said, in view of the economic crisis in the country, the survey revealed that due to the government’s decision to suspend the basic imports of agricultural products such as herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers, the selling price of all levels of the agricultural sector had increased by about 45% during that period.
Mr. Wijeratne also said that the comprehensive survey he organized confirmed that due to the ban on fertilizers and chemicals, there was a severe impact on the entire agricultural sector at that time.
He said that even though the ban on fertilizers and chemicals has been lifted, the country still has to suffer its dire consequences.
Mr. Wijeratne also said that due to the government’s ban, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers were illegally imported and they were of substandard quality and the farmers did not have the experience in using new chemicals.
He said this at a workshop on food security and agricultural inputs held in Colombo yesterday.
Being a member of an international organization, ‘Crop Life Sri Lanka’ is an institution that provides technical solutions for crop protection to the local farming community by innovating plant science, to feed the growing population.
