News
Kalpitiya hit by fly infestation and foul smell as farmers turn more and more to fowl-litter as fertliser
View(s):By Padma Kumari Kankanamge in Kalpitiya
Kalpitiya, one of Sri Lanka’s top tourist destinations, is experiencing an infestation of flies to the point where it has become a nuisance.
House flies, so common in Sri Lanka, are carriers of diseases such as gastroenteritis and tuberculosis. They thrive on animal droppings, manure, and garbage.
Farmer J.A. Niroshan Gunathilake
Homes, restaurants, tourist hotels, hospitals, schools, and kindergartens are badly impacted.
It is believed that farmers have been using poultry faeces as fertiliser for commercial crops, and their increased usage has led to an infestation of flies.
Regulations for the use, storage, transport, and maintenance of the quality of fertiliser made from poultry manure have been passed by the Kalpitiya Pradeshiya Sabha.
Farmer J.A. Niroshan Gunathilake, 31, said more and more farmers are using poultry litter on a large scale.
In 2019 farmers began using poultry litter because chemical fertiliser was not available.
Fertiliser made of cattle dung, which used to sell for Rs 150, now costs Rs 700. So, farmers began using poultry waste instead.
Many farmers blamed the Govi Jana Sewa officials for not supplying an adequate and suitable quantity of compost fertiliser.
“Even though each Grama Niladhari Division has agriculture officers and managers, they do not intervene to address problems or provide solutions,” farmers lamented.
Flies had become a problem in Kalpitiya almost two years ago, but now the situation has worsened.
Norochcholai resident and mother of three, Siththi Fareeda, said her home is swarmed by flies from around 7 a.m. until nightfall.
The flies enter kitchens and contaminate the food. She also said fertiliser from chicken litter emanated a foul smell.
“My children often have stomach problems and diarrhoea,” she said.
The infestation of flies is impacting tourism in the area too.
Kalpitiya Tourism Association secretary Sugath Emanuel said flies are a turnoff for visitors, with some even cancelling their travel plans to the popular tourist destination due to the increased number of flies and the odour from the poultry waste.
Kalpitiya Medical Officer D.M. Sri Madumal Silva also believes the substandard poultry waste fertiliser was the cause of the fly infestation. He said hotels have been instructed to use cleaning detergents and other safety precautions.
In 2019 farmers began using poultry litter because chemical fertiliser was not available
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