Agriculture Department begins to distribute urea fertiliser countywide 

• Says 3,000 tons of urea distributed among Agrarian Service Centres countrywide within three days
• Rice yield in 2021/22 Maha season drops by 50% to 1.6 m tons due to non-availability of urea fertiliser 
• SL expects another shipment of 21,000 tons of urea to arrive within the next two weeks

The Department of Agriculture has distributed 3,000 tons of urea fertiliser to Agrarian Service Centres across the country within three days.

The stock was from the first batch of 44,000 tons from the total of 65,000 tons of urea fertiliser received under the Indian Credit Line commenced after it was stored at warehouses belonging to the State-owned Ceylon Fertiliser Company Ltd., and the Colombo Commercial Fertiliser Ltd.

It was reported that the paddy yield decreased rapidly due to the decision to not provide urea fertiliser during the last three seasons.

During the 2021/2022 Maha season, as farmers had to cultivate without urea fertiliser, the rice yield dropped significantly by about 50% to 1.6 million tons. Sri Lanka produces around three million tons of rice during the Maha harvesting season annually.

However, former Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said due to the decision to provide urea fertiliser from the current Yala season, more paddy fields have been cultivated than any other season.

Former Minister Amaraweera said another ship carrying 21,000 tons of urea is scheduled to arrive in Sri Lanka within the next two weeks.