Showing red cards to the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture Professor Udith K. Jayasinghe, The President Gotabaya Rajapaksa warned the secretary would be ousted that if he does not adhere with government organic agriculture policy yesterday.
The President criticized him over the recent remarks on inorganic fertilizer as urea is not a bad fertilizer and that the creams produced for the body contain urea . The Secretary further described that steps will be taken to import chemical plant nutrients of the required standard.
However at a meeting on fertilizer crisis held at The Presidential secretariat ,The President stated yesterday (22) that Jayasinghe will be expelled if he does not act in accordance with the government’s policy.
Senior Professor Udith K. Jayasinghe, who was former Vice Chancellor of Wayamba University is the third Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture in the last two years. Both previous secretaries resigned due to inability to function.
The President also stated that those who can nominate the Secretary or the Director of fertilizers or anyone who opposes this national policy should resign from their posts.
The President said that many scientists come and talk about chemical fertilizers and if asked what their role is, they are the best directors in chemical fertilizer companies. He stressed that a national green policy could not be implemented with them.
The President commented:
As a matter of policy, we, the government, are only doing this organic farming, green farming. Secretaries and everyone else need to remember that. Let the private sector to deal with chemical fertilizer . If anyone wants it he can bring it and give it to the farmer at once. Then no one can say that this does not exist. However, only these organic fertilizers are given priority in the subsidy.
Then the farmer automatically goes for it. The problem is that the farmer is not aware. The farmer is not sure what fertilizer is being applied. We have not distributed fertilizer yet. They agitate only when there are problems with these. Or this season will be a complete failure. That cannot be allowed to happen. But it is bad that we as a whole have nothing to do with the importation of this fertilizer by the government.
There is no interest in this from the lowest level to the highest level. That is why these issues arise. This structure is still being developed by those associated with our chemical companies associated with these chemical fertilizers and those who promote it. Get rid of them and spread organic fertilizer. That is the national policy. If the Secretary himself goes and says that he needs chemical fertilizer then I do not care. Then the national policy will end there. If you say so later, drive him away. If the Secretary or the Director of Fertilizers all speak against the policy, he is against it. If there is opposition, it should be given to those who want to leave. I know the scientists came and said they came, but if you look at their work, the fertilizer company did not give it. Some are directors. The best directors in some companies. Farmers need to be given the answer they need to give immediately to what’s available this season. “
