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Croplife highlights agriculture sector woes at interactive event
Once renown as the granary of Asia while being recognized for superior agricultural produce and gifted with unique attributes, Sri Lanka today is experiencing major collapse in overall agricultural productivity.This has resulted in shock waves of food shortages and exorbitant price hikes leading to partial starvation among various socioeconomic strata of the country’s population. This was revealed at an interactive gathering of agri industry professionals and subject experts from the local and global arena on Friday.
Addressing the interactive gathering themed “Role of Agric Inputs in Food Security” at the Waters Edge, Battaramulla, Chairman of Croplife, Chamenda Wijerathna said that numerous economic and policy mishaps were evident during 2021-2022 period; especially the banning of essential fertilizers, pesticides and other vital agri inputs resulted in the collapse in overall agriculture productivity.
Wijerathna said that ranging from Sri Lanka’s sole-staple of rice, all crop sectors including maize, tea, upcountry and low country vegetables suffered substantial negative impacts in the aftermath of short-supplied agri inputs. A recent study revealed the magnitude of the impact where increases in the cost of production has exceeded 67 per cent while reduction of average yield has been recorded at 54 per cent.
Subsequently, the selling price of agricultural produce has increased exponentially causing various consumer segments to reduce or totally give up buying their requirements.Overall, there has been more than a 45% increase of the selling price at every level of agricultural value chains,” Wijerathna said.
He said that achievement of self sufficiency in rice since the 1990’s had been an remarkable milestone reflecting the expertise, dedication and capability of cross-sectoral stakeholders to drive the country’s agriculture in the correct path.
“This progress has been severely affected over the last year, resulting in 51 per cent yield loss, 67 per cent increase in expenditure for crop production while selling prices gained 46 per cent.”
Maize, another remarkable crop, recorded improved productivity and export potential several years back. It has taken a hard hit witnessing 59 per cent yield loss, 66 per cent increase in cost of production while selling price has risen only 47 per cent.
“Vegetables both upcountry and low country have been no exceptions in terms of the depressing impacts of wrong policy decisions. Absence of pesticides and fertilizers have resulted in yield losses in upcountry and low country vegetables at the levels of 61 per cent and 51 per cent consecutively.
“Selling price of both vegetable types touched an increase of 50 per cent. COP of low country vegetables increased by 65 per cent while the upcountry vegetables recorded a staggering 70 per cent increase of production cost.Croplife Secretary Buddhika Ekanayake said that there were deep driven impacts caused by the absence of proper agri inputs which will be hard to tackle in another season or years’ time.
He said that Croplife has recognized following areas that will pause chronic and long term threats for the food production if not dealt with cautiously and collaboratively by all stakeholders: (1) Loss of farm output prompting elevated farm gate prices causing prohibitive prices tags right from the beginning of crop value chains.
(2) Avenues being created for the entry of illegal, substandard and dangerous pesticides to reach to local agrochemical market. Numerous occurrences of smuggled pesticides from India and elsewhere were reported by farmers, consumers and environmental activists.
(3) Unaffordable input costs have largely resulted in farmers giving up cultivation paving way for a multitude of economic and social issues. Farmers protests were widely evident during recent months. Anger and frustration of the uncertainties to be contended with were freely expressed.
Croplife Treasurer, Shamal Abeysinghe, industry professionals and subject experts at local and global arena and local politicians also addressed the interactive gathering.
The countrywide dengue outbreak has intensified, with the death toll rising to 50, by July 16, as the number of reported infections surpassed 73,000, according to the National Dengue Control Unit (NDCU).
The country has recorded 73,455 dengue cases so far this year, with the case fatality rate standing at 0.07 percent, highlighting the severity of the ongoing outbreak.
The Western Province continues to remain the worst affected region, accounting for more than half of the total cases, with 38,700 infections. The Gampaha District has recorded the highest number of cases in the province with 15,341, followed closely by Colombo with 14,625.
The Southern Province has reported 11,382 cases, while the Sabaragamuwa and Central provinces have each recorded more than 6,000 infections.
Dengue cases have shown a sharp increase in recent months, with June recording the highest monthly total of 21,538 cases, while July has already reported 18,076 infections. In comparison, 8,590 cases were reported in May, and 5,651 in April.
Health authorities have identified 175 Medical Officer of Health (MOH) areas as high-risk locations during the 27th epidemiological week. An average of 2,677 new dengue cases are being reported daily, prompting authorities to intensify prevention and mosquito control measures.
The Colombo High Court yesterday (17) resumed hearing the money laundering case filed against Yoshitha Rajapaksa, son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
The proceedings were held before High Court Judge Udesh Ranatunga, where evidence was recorded from prosecution witnesses, under the direction of Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara.
President’s Counsel Sampath Mendis, appearing for Yoshitha Rajapaksa, cross-examined the witnesses during the hearing.
After recording evidence, the court ordered that further examination of evidence be postponed until July 24.
The Attorney General has filed indictments, alleging that Yoshitha Rajapaksa committed an offence, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, by purchasing five plots of land in Dehiwala and Ratmalana, valued at more than Rs. 73 million.
Former IGP Chandana Deepal Wickramaratne died after sustaining a gunshot injury at his residence, in Thalangama, yesterday (17), with police saying preliminary investigations indicate that the incident was a suspected suicide.
Kaduwela Magistrate Aruna Indrajith Buddhadasa, on Friday, ordered the Officer-in-Charge of the Malabe Police Station, Police Inspector Pradeep Ranasinghe, to conduct a formal investigation into the death and submit a report to court on its progress.
The order was issued after the Malabe Police Station presented facts before court regarding the incident.
According to police, the Malabe Police Station received information from the Police Unit of the Colombo East Base Hospital, in Mulleriyawa, that Wickramaratne, who resided in the Thalahena area, within the Malabe Police division, had died after being admitted to hospital, with gunshot injuries.
Police Spokesman ASP F.U. Wootler said Wickramaratne had allegedly used the firearm of his personal security officer and shot himself at his residence.
Police said the shooting had taken place at his residence on Parakum Road, Thalangama, on Thursday morning, before he was due to leave for his regular exercise routine. He was rushed to the Colombo East Base Hospital, in Mulleriyawa, with serious injuries but was pronounced dead upon admission, police said.
The deceased’s remains were placed at the Colombo East Base Hospital, where a post-mortem examination was scheduled to be conducted.
ASP Wootler said three police teams have been appointed to investigate the incident. Further investigations are being conducted by the Crime Division of the Western Province South Range and the Malabe Police Station.
Wickramaratne, 63, served as the 35th Inspector General of Police of Sri Lanka from November 27, 2020, to November 23, 2023.
He joined the Sri Lanka Police in 1986 as a Probationary Assistant Superintendent of Police and later served in several senior positions.
A graduate of the University of Colombo and the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, he also served as Acting IGP for more than a year, from April 28, 2019, before being appointed IGP, in November 2020.
He retired from the post of Inspector General of Police, in November 2023.
by Norman Palihawadane ✍️
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