Agriculture and Plantation Industry Minister Mahinda Amaraweera announced that the government will provide a fertilizer subsidy to rubber cultivators to increase the yield from rubber cultivation in Sri Lanka. According to the Sri Lanka Rubber Research Institute, rubber cultivation has not received fertilizer for many years, leading to a decline in annual latex yield from 100,000 metric tonnes to 65,000 metric tonnes.
In response, Minister Amaraweera instructed the State Fertiliser Company Chairman, Dr. Jagath Perera, to reduce the price of a 50 kg bag of fertilizer used for rubber cultivation from Rs. 9,500 to Rs. 5,500. The subsidy will be implemented this week.
Currently, a substantial fertilizer subsidy of Rs. 25,000 per hectare is provided for paddy cultivation, and the government also offers subsidies of Rs. 4,000 for tea, coconut, and cinnamon plantations. Minister Amaraweera confirmed that the same fertilizer subsidy will now be extended to rubber cultivators, aligning with efforts to support the agricultural sector and enhance productivity.
Last modified: August 29, 2024
