Cabinet approval sought for glyphosate ban removal

Proposals submitted by the Agricultural Ministry and the Plantations Industries Ministry for the re-introduction of glyphosate on the plantations will be taken up next week by the cabinet, Plantations Minister Navin Dissanayake said at a media briefing in Colombo today (Wednesday).

He noted that the ban on glyphosate would be lifted following a decision taken by the National Economic Council headed by President Maithripala Sirisena after the recent local government polls.

Two cabinet papers had been submitted in this regard and it is expected to be taken up next Tuesday at the Cabinet meeting, he said.

The minister has been campaigning for the re-introduction of glyphosate to be used on the tea estates alone as it had a negative impact on the industry threatening even losing its traditional markets due to low yields and experimenting with unknown substances to kill weeds.

The minister made these observations at the briefing held at the Sri Lanka Tea Board to announce the assumption of duties of Lucille Wijewardena as the establishment’s new Chairman after Dr. Rohan Pethiyagoda stepped down last month.

Mr. Wijewardena has been in the plantations industry, is an accountant by profession with interests in other areas like hospitality, stockbroking and finance. (Sunimalee)