The District Fertilizer Coordinating Committee to achieve cultivation targets in Kegalle district for the 2023 Yala season met today (24) in the morning under the chairmanship of Acting District Secretary Mrs. Charitha Illangakoon at the District Secretariat Auditorium.

Here, the overall progress of fertilizer distribution in the maha season was examined and it was stated that 92% of the total fertilizer requirement for re-cultivation in the district has been met. Accordingly, steps have been taken to provide 1600 metric tons of composite fertilizer to the farmers through five selected companies. Moreover, arrangements have been made to provide 402 metric tons of urea for the last season.

It was announced that nearly fifteen thousand farmers in the district have been given a fertilizer subsidy of Rs. 10,000 per hectare under the first phase and that they will continue to provide those subsidies through the second and third phases. Also, twenty liters of diesel per hectare will be given for paddy cultivation in the high season under Chinese aid. Tokens will be given to the farmers in the future. 539 fallow fields have been selected for re-cultivation in the district and the possibility of popularizing cultivation through rain-fed as well as minor irrigation systems was examined.

Moreover, in this meeting, opinions were exchanged about speeding up the distribution of fertilizers for maize and the opportunities of providing fertilizers for tea, rubber, coconut and export crops at a lower price than the market price.

The representatives of the farmers' associations who came together for this committee presented their views on the shortcomings in the cultivated seasons and the ability of each institution to further develop the agricultural industry in the district by maintaining good coordination was discussed.

Additional District Secretary (Lands and Development) Dinisha S. Rathnayake, District Agriculture Director Manjula Pinnalanda, Assistant Commissioner of Agriculture J.K.Jayananda, Assistant Directors of National Fertilizer Secretariat Mr. Sarath Sumanadasa, Mr. K. P. R. Padmanil were also present at the event. A group of officials including representatives of farmers' associations were present.