Rs. 495 m spent as fertiliser subsidy for coconut smallholders

In its efforts to develop coconut cultivation in the country, the Government has spent Rs. 495 million as a fertilizer subsidy in 2016 aimed at coconut smallholders.

According to the fertilizer subsidy program, Rs. 56 per tree, subject to a minimum of Rs. 448 and a maximum of Rs. 8,960, has been paid to apply fertiliser. Following this subsidy formula, there have to be eight coconut trees per 20 perches of land to be within the minimum margin and 160 trees within two hectares not to exceed the ceiling.

The subsidy applications, to the value of Rs. 17.69 million relating to the Ratnapura Regional Office, were received and out of the subsidy application, a sum of Rs. 12.54 million was paid as a subsidy as at 31 December 2016.

Accordingly, the payment for subsidy applications to the value of Rs. 5.15 million was not made in 2016 mainly due to the fact that the growers had handed over a certain number of applications in the latter part of the year, the Ministry of Plantation Industries revealed in Parliament yesterday. (AH)