Exporters Chief hails fertiliser subsidy for all crops

The National Chamber of Exporters (NCE) yesterday hailed the Government’s decision to offer a fertiliser subsidy for all food crops, asserting that the move would boost agri production in the country.

“The announcement by the Secretary to the Treasury Dr. P.B. Jayasundera last week that a price reduction on all fertilisers has been extended to all crops that are cultivated has crowned the farmers of Sri Lanka, boosted food security and laid the foundation for an unprecedented era of export agriculture in Sri Lanka,”

NCE President Sarath de Silva said.

He added that the bold and timely intervention of the Government had endorsed agriculture as the prime mover of our economy. “We are fortunate to live in an era of unparalleled economic development and unprecedented freedom and stability that has been heralded by the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, which even the developed economies of Asia will take notice of,” the NCE Chief said.

A statement issued by the NCE went on to say: “The undue pressures brought in by the advisory panel report of the United Nations becomes meaningless as the benefits arising out of the decision will accrue not only to certain areas and communities of Sri Lanka, but to the south, north and north east.



All citizens of Sri Lanka will soon enjoy the benefits of a very high standard of living due to the guidance of the Government and the correct macroeconomic policies implemented by the Ministry of Economic Development and the Central Bank of Sri Lanka.

“The ‘Divi Neguma’ programme engulfing one million households in a country of five million homes will ensure that every family unit is motivated to contribute to nation building. Also, a culture of self reliance will be inculcated in little children by the parents when this programme is implemented. The fertiliser subsidy of paddy farmers has guaranteed that our staple food is secured. It has made the farmer stronger and able to withstand the shocks of global warming manifested in the form of periods of extreme weather.

“As exporters we feel the whole nation will from now on join in the production of agri-based raw materials, which is the industry raw material that will enhance the export of value added Sri Lankan agri exports of spices , fruits and vegetables, pulses, etc. The long-felt need of ‘a shot in the arm’ to activate agri raw material productions has been achieved by this timely introduction of a fertiliser subsidy to all agricultural crops effective from midnight of 7 May 2011.

“Our appeal to the Government is to go a step further and make provision for the proposed agri cooperatives in the North Central, North and the Eastern Provinces. This will enable use of the above meaningful reduction in fertiliser prices to grow red chillies, big onions, green gram, black gram and kurrakkan to substitute imports, saving billions of rupees for the Sri Lankan economy. This will also enable the finding of a solution to the problem of identifying large parcels of lands that are required for the purpose of large-scale, high-tech agriculture in Sri Lanka. These cooperatives will be organised, managed and strengthened by the direct involvement of the private sector, exporters and the agri enterprises that have been holding back investments due to the lack of large parcels of land in a particular area.

“Let us harness the full capacity of the country and motivate the private sector to build a Sri Lanka, which is self-sufficient and self-reliant, to be a nation that is the wonder of Asia.”