Farmers stunned as officials compare farmlands to Sinharaja

COLOMBO (News 1st); A tense situation arose between authorities and farmers in Sultanagoda, Matara during an awareness program on nano nitrogen liquid fertilizer. The farmers pointed out that the paddy cultivations across thousands of acres have been affected due to the fertilizer problem. The tense situation arose when an official of the Southern Province Department of Agriculture told the farmers about the large trees which grow in the Sinharaja forest without the application of fertilizer, and the subsequent reaction of the farmers for making such a comparison with paddy cultivation. The farmers left the meeting shortly after. The Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture recently stated that 100,000 liters of nano-nitrogen liquid fertilizer brought to Sri Lanka have been delivered to areas such as Ampara, Trincomalee and Batticaloa where cultivation has commenced in time for the Maha season. However, farmers of the Pannalagama settlement in Ampara point out that they have not received any fertilizer even after 04 days of the consignments being imported. About 4,500 acres of paddy lands are being cultivated in Pannalgama, Ampara. Farmers point out that although the Irrigation Department released water for the Maha season on 15th October, they have not received any fertilizer so far, and that the water is being wasted. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c5yLxb0XQ4