Decision to import chemical fertilizer a result of farmers' struggle

COLOMBO (News 1st); The National Organizer of the All Ceylon Agrarian Federation, Namal Karunaratne says that the Government's decision to import chemical fertilizer is not one taken with good faith, but a result of the farmers' struggle. Speaking to media today (21), Karunaratne stated that currently, it had been 35 days since the Maha cultivation season began, and the crops need to be fertilized in 10 days. Showing examples of depilated crops, Karunaratne stated that such crops now do not have any phosphorus in them to grown, and urea should have been applied to the crops twice already. Questioning whether the Government will accept responsibility for these crops or not, Karunaratne emphasized that it was the Government's decision that put the farmers in a serious situation. " Now the damage done to tea plantations cannot be restored for another 6 months. The Government has to pay compensation for these. Maybe the Government might say that they reversed this decision with the farmers in mind, but they did not do it for farmers, they still have to pay compensation," he stated. Karunaratne went onto say that the initial decision was not taken in good faith of the farmers, and neither was the later decision to remove the ban for certain crops, however the Government had to take the decision as a result of the farmers' struggle.