FAO delivers 36,000 tonnes of USAID-funded tsp fertiliser in time for Yala

Above: The consignment of fertiliser being unloaded.

With funding from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Sri Lanka delivered 36,000 tonnes of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) fertiliser to the Ministry of Agriculture ON Monday for immediate distribution to all paddy farmers across the country.

This is the first shipment of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) fertiliser to arrive in Sri Lanka since 2021 and will provide essential nutrients to paddy crops cultivated by over one million paddy farmers in the upcoming Yala cultivation season (April – August 2023) and beyond, the UN said in a media release.

Paddy farmers across the island will receive TSP fertiliser at no cost. The amount received is calculated based on the extent cultivated by each farmer and the TSP requirement in their respective agriculture zone. The distribution will commence this week, through the Department of Agrarian Development of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, expressed appreciation on behalf of the nation. “We are thankful for the support extended by FAO and USAID to help Sri Lankan farmers receive vital inputs for their cultivation. We are confident with such assistance, our farmers will successfully rise to the challenge facing them,” he said.

U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Julie Chung speaking at the handover event, said, “This shipment brings the total of USAID-supported TSP and urea fertiliser to over 45,000 tonnes during a time farmers are trying hard to maximise rice production and meet the country’s food needs. We want to help fulfil their hopes.”

Meanwhile, speaking at the handover Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera expressed his gratitude to the people of America and FAO for providing timely support to reinvigorate the local agricultural sector. “Through this support, we are certain the yield of the upcoming harvesting seasons will improve steadily. Our eventual aim is to minimise dependency on rice imports and further empower Sri Lankan paddy farmers,” Minister Amaraweera added.

Together with its partners, FAO in Sri Lanka is looking forward to further strengthening the agriculture sector by providing the technology and capacity building required to increase productivity, fertiliser use efficiency, and ensure sustainability of the ecosystem while protecting the environment.