If you can grow, now is the time : Agri Minister

COLOMBO (News 1st); The newly appointed Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amarweera says that anyone who can, should get to the fields and start cultivating.

Speaking to media today (29), the Minister assured that many steps have been taken to solve the food crisis which is yet to come.

The Minister said that he hopes to propose to the Cabinet to take over lands left uncultivated for a long time and to give them to people who are willing to engage in agriculture.

Therefore, anyone who can should get to the paddy fields and start cultivating, the Minister said. He further stated that he has written to ambassadors of seven countries asking them to provide Sri Lanka with fertilizer.

"This morning I discussed with Ambassador Milinda Moragoda that 60,000 metric tons of fertilizer to be received from India should be delivered to us as soon as possible. We hope to request Russia and both Ukraine to supply us with oil, fertilizer and gas," he added.