News
UNP Deputy Leader praises Plant Quarantine officers who detected harmful bacteria in Chinese fertiliser sample
Speaking during a zoom meeting with the party’s youth members, on party reinforcement projects, alongside its 75th anniversary programmes on Tuesday, the UNP deputy leader said: “Officials of the National Plant Quarantine Services, coming under the Department of Agriculture, have detected harmful residues, including Erwinia bacteria, of which some species are plant pathogens which destroy crops, in sample tested from organic fertiliser brought from China. There are reports that the sample contained harmful micro-organisms made from municipal waste. Environmentalists have warned that organic fertiliser from animal or plant waste could contain harmful pathogens.”
Ruwan Wijewardene said that businessmen close to the government were involved in importing foreign municipal waste under the label of organic fertiliser. “There are reports that government wants to help their crony businessmen somehow to deliver it here because claims are made that the sample was wrong. Another theory being promoted is that the bacteria had been introduced to the sample on its way here from China. Fingers of government suspicion have also been levelled at the officials of Plant Quarantine Service. We have information that some officials are harassed and intimidated. They are threatened to be summoned before the CID. They should instead be given promotions for their saving of this country from the bacteria, harmful to animals, plants, and people, while destroying many cultivation in the country. The Agriculture Minister should get the CID to probe not the officials but the businessmen’s racket that attempted to bring this and the suspicious process in which they were awarded with the tender to import organic fertiliser. A tender was placed to buy fertilisers with 17 percent nitrogen. The suppliers said they can’t find fertilisers with 17 percent nitrogen. All importers withdrew except one. This one intends to import fertilisers that only have 5-8 percent nitrogen. The CID should investigate the process of the deal.”
Wijewardene said that the government had banned chemical fertiliser so that interested parties could import organic fertiliser from China which could be harmful. He said a China-based company, had now got a 63 million US dollar contract to supply organic fertiliser. “And that company, too, is trying to pump municipal waste containing bacteria which destroy crops. The officers who made the detection now live in fear and we call on the government to stop such coercion immediately because the right thing it should be doing is checking some more samples if they are not sure of the results of the test that has already been carried out,” he said adding that if not for their services the country could have lost its crops and would have had to depend on China for food.
As per the provisions of section 51 of the Public Finance Managaement Act No. 44 of 2024, the public should be issued with a report on the final budgetary situation for each year and, the report is then published in the official website of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
Thereby the report has to be submitted to the Parliament. The final budgetary situation report (Annual Report) – 2025 has been prepared by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and published. The report contains the Public Finance Policy, strategies and challenges, economic trends in 2025, macro – economic and socio – economic indicators covering all sectors of the economy as well as description on the global economic growth.
Furthermore, it accompanies a detailed description government revenue and expenditure, cash flow management, financing the budget deficit and the loan structure.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to submit the Report on the Final Budgetary Condition (Annual Report) – 2025 to Parliament.
Business
Cabinet nod to accept increased Loan Grant provided by the Asian Development Bank under Policy Based Loan Facilities – 2026
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 16.03.2026 to obtain United States Dollars 380 million from the policy – based loan facilities of the Asian Development Bank in the year 2026.
United States Dollars 100 million out of it is allocated for Trade, Investment and Industries Development Programme – Sub Programme 1. However, amidst the economic uncertainty resulting from the current Middle East crisis and the climatic tragedies, the Asian Development Bank has agreed to assist
by increasing a supplementary financing package of United States Dollars 100 million so that it will beMincreased up to United States Dollars 200 million.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to take further measures to obtain the said loan grant.
News
Submission of Revenue Protection Order Prepared under the Provisions of the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 to the Parliament for its approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was given at the meeting held on 23.02.2026 to impose the custom import duty amounts under four (04) categories as 0%, 10%, 20%, and 30% which had been executed only under three (03) categories in order to increase the target export income of the country, to execute the
recommendations of the national customs duty policies committee, and to implement new national sub division customs codes for promoting the local agricultural and industrial sector.
Imposing provisions in relation to the above, the Revenue Protection Order – No. 01/2026 under the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 has been published in the extraordinary gazette notification No. 2478/03 of 03.03.2026.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to submit the said revenue protection order to Parliament for its concurrence.
Report on the Final Budgetary Condition (Annual Report) – 2025 submited to parliament
Cabinet nod to accept increased Loan Grant provided by the Asian Development Bank under Policy Based Loan Facilities – 2026
Submission of Revenue Protection Order Prepared under the Provisions of the Revenue Protection Act No. 19 of 1962 to the Parliament for its approval.
Resettlement of unauthorized settlers affected by the Land Acquisition process for the implementation of Phase III of the Baseline Road Extension Project
Cabinet approves project to modernize school hostel facilities during the 2026–2028 period at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,008 million
New National Action Plan for Human-Elephant Conflict Management to be drafted
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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