The Hon. Sivagnanam Shritharan

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, under Standing Order 27(2), I raise issues faced by farmers in Jaffna District. In addition to paddy, many up-country and horticultural crops—small (red) onion, big onion, potato, grape, carrot, yam, beetroot, banana, cassava, chilli—are cultivated widely in Valikamam North, East, and West; Vadamarachchi South-West and East; the Islands; and Thenmarachchi.

¶ 02 Customarily, import duty is imposed during the small-onion harvest to protect farmers, but for three years it has not been applied. Climate impacts have reduced quality, depressing demand for Jaffna red onions. Where farmers used to cultivate three seasons a year, many now grow only once, losing capital and making losses. While it is said local small-onion contains heavy metals, there are no mechanisms to test imported onions for heavy metals. Without proper culling (grading-out) applied to Dambulla-produced and imported small-onion, the Northern Province alone applies a 10:1 culling ratio on produce such as small onion, worsening already severe farmer hardship.

¶ 03 Labour daily wages have risen to Rs. 3,500 for men and Rs. 2,300 for women, and input prices supplied via the Department of Agrarian Services have tripled, further increasing costs while farmgate prices cannot cover costs.

¶ 04 Blast disease has spread; soil and water testing is not done; pests and diseases affect coconut, banana, onion, and betel; there are no effective control measures or compensations. With disease, demand collapse for onion, lack of harvest-time import duties, and the unavailability for over two years of subsidized seed potato in Jaffna, up-country crop cultivation is declining and farm livelihoods collapsing.

¶ 05 While other provinces receive compensation for natural disasters and pest damage, relevant departments show no empathy for the specific damages in the North, especially Jaffna. Accordingly, I ask:

¶ 06 01. During small-onion harvesting, will the Government impose import duties to protect farmers? Why was this not done for the past three years?

¶ 07 02. This year’s continuous rains reduced yields and quality; farmers lost their capital. Will the Government grant compensation to restore livelihoods?

¶ 08 03. Why has subsidized seed potato not been available for over two years in Jaffna, and why are quality new varieties not introduced?

¶ 09 04. How will the Government assure the public regarding heavy metals in imported onions, especially as pesticide use has fallen due to such concerns about local onions?

¶ 10 05. Why is a 10:1 culling ratio applied only in the Northern Province on these products, whereas no such system is applied to Dambulla-produce and imported onions?