Although the permission given to import Chemical fertilizer, Importers Secretary Sujeewa Walisundera says that required fertilizers could not be imported until the upcoming Yala season.
Talking with Hiru TV news he further said the approval to import the chemical fertilizer was given two weeks ago and considering the time it would take for companies to place an order, the time it would take for the consignment of the fertilizer to be shipped and shipped in a few weeks, it was inevitable that part of the crop would be abandoned this season.
“It will take another time to import fertilizer and bring it to the country. By now, the time of applying basic fertilizers such as urea in connection with paddy cultivation has passed. There is a way in which the basic fertilizer requirement of this season cannot be met. In this situation some extent of farming using chemical fertilizers has to be abandoned. The secretary said.
The importers say that a ton of urea costs $ 1100 and when urea is imported and distributed, it costs around Rs.13,000 per bag which is 30 to 40 percent higher than previous prices.