JVP claims fertiliser subsidy grossly inadequate

Says Budget did not 

provide solutions to 

agri sector

Farmers to protest 

in loincloths 

By Chamodi Gunawardana

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday claimed farmers who have five acres of land would lose Rs. 37,500 per year due to the recent budget proposal taken to curtail the fertiliser subsidy and insisted the allocation is inadequate for current farming needs.  

Criticising the Government suggestion to give Rs. 25,000 per hectare (two and a half acres) for farmers instead of the traditional fertiliser subsidy, JVP Leader Anura Kumara Dissanayaka charged that amount was insufficient to buy fertilisers for both Yala and Maha seasons. 

“To cultivate five acres of land, farmers should spend at least Rs. 11,162 just for fertilisers per season. Previously the farmers got Rs. 9,163 of fertiliser subsidy per acre, but now it has reduced to Rs. 5,000,” he noted.

Dissanayaka added the farmers would have to pay thousands of rupees more to buy paddy seeds because of the Government’s “secret agenda” to give ownership of seed farms to the private sector. 

“Due to the bankruptcy of State seed farms, farmers buy seeds from private companies who charge high prices for them. The recent Budget did not propose effective action to overcome the circumstance. The Budget also did not mention any steps to be taken for the farmers’ pension scheme,” he charged. 

Dissanayaka stressed farmers impacted by the Budget proposals will take to the streets in protest wearing their traditional loincloths and farming equipment. 

“We have already conducted Satyagraha in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa along with farmers and Buddhist monks to express our opinion over the budget proposals. We expect to hold another protest within the next two weeks in Colombo with a large gathering of farmers,” he said. 

Pic by Shehan Gunasekara