Agriculture and Plantation Industry Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has announced a new fertilizer subsidy for rubber farmers, a key step toward revitalizing the industry. This decision is in reaction to a study by the Sri Lanka Rubber Research Institute, which said that in recent years, there has been insufficient fertilizer application, which has negatively impacted rubber agriculture in Sri Lanka. As a result, from 100,000 metric tons to 65,000 metric tonnes per year, the latex yield has decreased.
The government would lower the cost of a 50 kg bag of fertilizer used in rubber growing from Rs. 9,500 to Rs. 5,500 in order to solve this issue. This week, the price cut will go into effect as a part of a larger initiative to boost several agricultural industries. Dr. Jagath Perera, Chairman of the State Fertilizer Company, has been directed to supervise this modification.
Apart from the recent rubber subsidy, the government also offers significant subsidies for other crops, such as rice farming, which receives Rs. 25,000 per hectare, and plantations for tea, coconut, and cinnamon, which receive Rs. 4,000. The government’s dedication to increasing agricultural production overall is demonstrated by this all-encompassing strategy.