Health checks on the cards for Yala
As Sri Lanka’s new agriculture policy sent the Maha season on an adventure drive in search of organic farming but ended up using chemical fertiliser instead; plans are now underway to venture into the Yala season with new enthusiasm and a soil health card.
Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage told the Business Times on Thursday that while maintaining the same stance adopted in Maha for the Yala season in terms of prioritising for organic farming techniques the government plans improving on it by giving farmers a soil health card.
The government is planning on issuing a soil health card to all farmers – after a soil test – to ensure that even the chemical fertiliser they purchase can be carried out only according to the requirement of each farmer.
There is an increase in the amount of chemical fertiliser imported to the country, the Minister said adding that “farmers are highly misusing it.”
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Soil Health Management plan had been the inspiration behind this soil testing programme, Minister Aluthgamage pointed out, adding that this card will allow farmers to purchase fertiliser.
Soil testing has already commenced in Ampara in line with making preparations for the next season, it was pointed out.
“We are daily increasing the fertiliser but the production is not getting increased,” Minister Aluthgamage said adding that if the soil health card is used then this system can be monitored.
He noted that by then chemical fertiliser will be available in the market and organic fertiliser produced locally will be distributed to the farmers. “If we are giving the subsidy from the government then everybody will buy it,” he noted adding that they have provided Rs.7500 each to 750,000 farmers to produce organic fertiliser.
Commenting on the provision of compensation for those unable to generate the adequate yields during this Maha season, the minister said they are still working out the mechanism to be adopted in this regard.
He noted that per hectare if the production drops this season due to inadequate fertiliser then the agriculture insurance scheme will provide the necessary finances in this regard.
Peradeniya University Weed Science Senior Prof. Buddhi Marambe told the Business Times that when soil testing is done then farmers and agrarian officers will be aware of the requirement and there is no need for blanket recommendation on fertiliser use for each area.
In addition he said that the “inadvertent misuse will not happen” and also “depending on the soil condition you may have to apply more and not less and the soil analysis will let you know this”.
This programme had been on the cards and Agrarian Service Centres had been issued with soil test kits last year in addition to a mobile app given free of charge where fertiliser recommendation for paddy was provided to all Grama Niladhari Divisions.
Plans were underway to start the process during this Maha season, Prof. Marambe said noting that this will be the first time this kind of soil testing is carried out at the agrarian service level. Previously, soil testing was carried out by submitting soil samples to the relevant authorities.
Agriculture Department Director General Dr. Ajantha De Silva told the Business Times that plans for the Yala season will be worked out once the gazette is issued. “Then we will see the plan of the government,” he said.
He noted that until the Cabinet decision is released they cannot state anything at this stage and that the decision by the President for the release of chemical fertilisers for use was limited to vegetable crops.
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