The Hon. Namal Karunaratne - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, the Opposition raises many issues, but they are largely of their own making during their administration, which led the country to bankruptcy. The Supreme Court has identified those responsible; the international community declared Sri Lanka bankrupt. We are correcting that course. We have had power just over a year; relative to what we inherited, the country has moved forward economically and otherwise.

¶ 02 Globally, wartime conditions prevail. Some countries took earlier decisions that disrupted services; we took decisions later and managed better. Today, while global fuel and gas issues affect all, we now have reserves of USD 7 billion, unlike then when reserves were near zero and ships circled because we could not pay. Today we have money, though supply issues persist globally. Then it was a national crisis created by those now in Opposition; today we are managing this crisis effectively.

¶ 03 To our farmers: do not rush to buy fertilizer at inflated black-market prices—there is no shortage. For Yala we need 19,000 MT of TSP; we have enough for two seasons. MOP stocks are sufficient; urea is available. Do not be misled into panic buying.

¶ 04 There are stocks with state and private companies. We convened all stakeholders with district farmer leaders—Ashoka Karunasena, Takshila Deshapriya, P.D.S. Bandara, Punchiralla Rathnayake of Anuradhapura, Kasthuri Arachchi, Maldeniya, I. Kithsiri, and Tilak Bandara, Chair of the National Farmer Organizations’ Council—who agreed: all fertilizer with companies will be purchased by the Government, paying cash, without dealers, middlemen, or commissions; approximately at Rs. 9,500, with transport borne by farmer organizations. Distribution will be through farmer organizations directly to farmers’ villages and fields. Do not fuel the black market.

¶ 05 We have identified that some 25,000 MT has already left warehouses—5,000 MT each of urea, TSP and MOP. We are tracing where it went; that is what is now being sold at exorbitant prices. Do not fall prey to this mafia.

¶ 06 Fuel for farmers: we have simplified the process. Previously approvals ran from farmer organizations to agrarian offices, Pradeshiya Sabhas, Divisional and District Secretaries, then to sheds. Now approvals by the farmer organization and agrarian office are sufficient. For example, if 50 members with specified acreage need fuel per acre, the organization obtains the aggregate from the shed and distributes within the village. This applies to paddy, upland and supplementary crops, and for irrigation pumps needing kerosene or diesel. Coordinate with your farmer leader and relevant officials; do not struggle individually.

¶ 07 The Opposition Leader raised issues—but we are solving the problems they created. Under their rule, farmers suffered crop losses without compensation. We paid compensation for paddy, vegetables, fruits, and even for lost livestock—unprecedented. When they were in Cabinet, they bought 2,044,000 kg of potatoes at Rs. 95, but did not pay even a cent; we had to protest to recover some funds, and much remains unpaid. They also took large onion seed in Sigiriya, promising Rs. 9,000 per kg, but paid nothing. We had to keep protesting with Minister P. Harrison and others. That is how they treated farmers.

¶ 08 In Ampara, Rs. 320 million remained unpaid to paddy farmers; in Monaragala, crores were owed. Farmers even took their own lives then. Now, we have launched major programmes to uplift agriculture and ensure no food shortage despite global conditions. We stopped mung bean imports—we are self-sufficient—and are increasing other crops.

¶ 09 On rice: no problem. We have surplus stocks and will cultivate 550,000 hectares in Yala. Therefore, no rice shortage. We are acting systematically to secure food security. Thank you.