Tennakoon KULASEKARA
The carbonic fertilizer production project was launched on
the direction of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to prevent the loss of human lives
caused due to excessive use of chemical fertilizer and pesticides, said
Agrarian Services and Wild Life Minister S M Chandrasena.
Minister Chandrasena said so presiding over a progress review
meeting of the Polonnaruwa District Carbonic Fertilizer Project at the 'Buddhi
Mandapaya' Polonnaruwa recently.
Members of 3,000 farmer families engaged in the project
attended the meeting.
Minister Chandrasena said President Rajapaksa who assumed
office in 2005 introduced the fertilizer subsidy, provided a guaranteed price
for paddy and exempted tractors and farm implements from Customs duties to help
develop agriculture and make the country self-sufficient in food.
This objective had now been realized enabling the country to
even export rice for the first time in its history, after the reign of King
Parakramabahu the Great.
He said the introduction of chemical fertilizer and agro
chemicals 60 to 70 years ago had turned traditional agriculture methods
followed by farmers upside down.
The soil became infertile and micro -organisms which enriched
soil was destroyed due to heavy use of chemical fertilizer and agro -
chemicals. Kidney ailments and other diseases have spread among a large number
of people due to consumption of food contaminated with chemicals. In order to
arrest this trend, the President had directed his ministry to revive the
traditional agricultural methods used by ancient farmers which are not harmful
to man, he said.
Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena said the President had
ordered for the revival of the carbonic fertilizer manufacture programme to
create a healthy and self-sufficient nation.
Deputy Ministers Rohana Dissanayake, Chandrasiri
Suriyarachchi and Siripala Gamlath and National Fertilizer Secretariat Director
General Ranjan Dharmawardana were also present.
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