COLOMBO (News 1st) – Around 500 Agrarian Research Officers are suspected to be involved in irregularities surrounding the distribution of fertilizer, according to Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera.

He noted that a majority these cases were reported from the Ampara District while the least number of cases were reported from the Northern Province. He added an internal investigation has been launched to ascertain these allegations.

The Minister stressed that the National Fertilizer Secretariat had been instructed to study and produce a report on a new mechanism that can be adopted to prevent irregularities surrounding the distribution of fertilizer.