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Potato growers want payout for organic disaster
Vegetable farmers in Welimada protested on Friday demanding financial compensation for crop losses. The protest was organised by United Farmers' Union in Welimada, Uva Paranagama. Namal Karunaratne National Organizer, JVP and Samantha Vidyaratne joined the protest.
Welimada farmers, most of whom grow on small plots, and who had been compelled to use substandard organic fertiliser made available by the government are demanding financial compensation for crop losses from their vegetable and potato fields.
The Welimada divisional secretariat area is the biggest potato producing area in the Badulla District.
Experienced farmers and agricultural experts have pointed out that the use of organic fertiliser for crops that can be harvested in less than 90 days is not effective.
Farmers complain that the Department of Agriculture had not informed them of the recommended levels of organic fertiliser to be used.
Worms have destroyed the potatoes and root rot has set in. Farmers also believe that the use of cow dung in organic fertiliser has badly affected their crop.
“Every year we grow 400 kilos of potatoes. I use chemicals and get a harvest of 3,500 kilos. In 2021, I grew 400 kilos and I bought organic fertiliser paying Rs 550 for a bag. I got 550 kilos in return. This is a heavy loss,’’ said T.M. Muthubanda, a farmer from Sapugolla in Uva Paranagama.
W.M. Gunesekera a farmer from Malapola, Uva Paranagama said that he planted one and half acres of carrot and used organic fertiliser. But the harvest was of poor quality.
Another farmer from Uva Paranagama, Welimada, W.M. Gunewardena said that the move to introduce organic fertiliser for short term crops was not practical.
“Now some private traders have been allowed to import chemical fertiliser. There is no price control and 50 kilos is sold for Rs 9,000,’’ he said.
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