Sajith accuses govt. of pushing country towards grave food shortage

By Saman Indrajith

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament yesterday that the country was heading for a grave food shortage owing to the government’s move to shift from chemical fertiliser to organic fertiliser.

Making a special statement, the Opposition Leader said the government policy should not be a threat to the country’s food security.

“The government’s decisions should have ensured at least one percent growth in food production in parallel to the population increase. A research conducted by the Batalegoda Agricultural Research Institute has revealed that if the use of chemical fertiliser is completely stopped and cultivation is carried out using only organic fertilisers, the yield will be reduced by 21 to 31 percent. If the research findings are true that would be an indication of an impending food shortage.

As per the switch from chemical to organic, other cultivations including tea, coconut, rubber, vegetables and fruits too will be affected badly and the farmers predict an impending crisis situation in the coming months. The imprudent and unscientific decision of the government not only is paving the way for a crisis but also will impair the country’s name for export crops,” the Opposition Leader said.

Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that there was a mega conspiracy by the agrochemical importers and producers to reverse the government’s decision to promote organic fertilisers.

The Minister said that in the coming days he would expose the conspiracy by producing telephone conversation records and bank reports to prove how money transactions took place between protest leaders and chemical fertiliser importer and producer companies. “The chemical fertiliser mafia is the second biggest mafia in the world. They have money and there are some who are ready to work for them. We will expose this mafia and their henchmen soon,” the minister said.

Minister Aluthgamage said that the government would provide fertilizer to farmers and would never let the country’s agriculture sector collapse as envisaged by those in the opposition with their wishful thinking.

“We will ensure the country’s food security. Some of those in the opposition are painting a picture of the devil with regard to organic fertiliser imports. We as a government will take the responsibility for the imported organic fertilizer. We turned back a ship load of fertiliser because they were not to the required standards. The President took the decision to switch from chemical to organic fertiliser to ensure the right to life of people and some have misunderstood it,” the minister added.