Impending food shortages: Warnings not enough,  make available fertiliser – ex-Governor

By Shamindra Ferdinando

In spite of repeated warnings of impending food shortages issued by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the incumbent dispensation hadn’t taken tangible measures to provide required fungicide, pesticide, and weedicide, former Governor of Uva, Southern and Central Provinces, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon told The Island yesterday.

Civil society activist Tennakoon said that the failure on the part of the government to provide those vital agro-chemicals should be examined against the backdrop of disruption of the fertilizer supply.

Tennakoon said that the government should be ashamed of the crisis that had been caused by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s unilateral decision to introduce carbonic fertilizer.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa banned chemical fertilizers in May 2021. In late Nov 2021, the government partially lifted the ban.

Responding to queries, the NGO activist said that he wrote to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday (02) requesting his immediate intervention to procure urgently required chemical fertilizer in sufficient quantities.

Tennakoon has informed the President that though the fungicide and pesticide ban had been lifted in Nov 2021, followed by the lifting of the ban on weedicide in Feb this year, adequate stocks weren’t imported due to the Central and commercial banks withholding required funds.

Pointing out the growing difficulties experienced by farmers cultivating diverse crops, in addition to paddy, Tennakoon underscored the need to ensure supply of both chemical fertilizer/quality carbonic fertilizer as well as three types of agro chemicals.

The civil society activist stressed that the absence of agro chemicals could be as devastating as not receiving sufficient chemical fertilizer / carbonic fertilizer.

Tennakoon alleged in his latter that the Agriculture Ministry, Agriculture Department or any other institution/authority handling agriculture hadn’t sought the Central Bank’s intervention during the past six months.

According to Tennakoon, a major importer of chemical fertilizer hadn’t been able to obtain the required USD from its bankers in the recent past. Alleging that none of those who had been tasked to address issues at hand even bothered to discuss ways and means of overcoming the challenge, Tennakoon said that the new Finance Minister who is also the Prime Minister and the Agriculture Secretary were yet to ask for required funds.

Tennakoon has warned President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of dire consequences unless immediate action was taken to ensure the required state backing for the national effort.

The former Governor said that in addition to the President, he took up this issue with Prime Minister Ranil Wickresinghe and the Secretary to the Agriculture Ministry.

Tennakoon said that none of those in authority who had warned the country of impending food shortages had yet taken any tangible action. The civil activist urged the government to reach consensus on a common agenda. Tennakoon said that a few hours before the President’s Media announced Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi promising much required fertilizer, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera claimed he received an assurance from the World Bank that funding would be made available for Sri Lanka to procure its total requirement of fertilizer.

Tennakoon also pointed out that Public Administration Ministry Secretary Priyantha Mayadunne recently explained the crisis in the agriculture sector. The government should take Mayadunne’s warning seriously, Tennakoon said, adding that political parties represented in Parliament seemed to be blind to the threat.

Again referring to Mayadunne’s declaration of an unprecedented food shortage, Tennakoon said that Sri Lanka couldn’t entirely depend on external assistance as many countries were experiencing food shortages.