The Sri Lanka Agricultural Economics Association has warned that there is a grave risk in using imported organic fertilisers which are likely to have seeds of weeds, pathogenic bacteria, fungi, nematodes, etc.
Such organisms could cause disease outbreaks in crops, livestock, and human society, leading to heavy economic losses, it said in a letter addressed to the President.
“Imported organic fertilisers also pose a high risk of contaminating our soils and water resources. Once the pollutants enter into our eco-system and destroy it, it is not easy to recover from the damage,” the statement added.
The Sri Lanka Agricultural Economics Association predicts massive economic losses due to potential yield losses, in the absence of proper substitutes for chemical fertilisers and pesticides, with the implementation of the import ban on fertilisers and pesticides.
They further went on to note that the immediate adverse impacts on food security, farm incomes, foreign exchange earnings, and rural poverty can be detrimental.
It will not be possible to counter the 30 per cent to 50 per cent drop in paddy production and the resulting increase in the price of rice.
Farmers confirm the massive reduction in output, with many wondering how they could survive unless expected prices more than double at the farm gate.
If the ban in chemical fertiliser is implemented, there will be a massive reduction in agricultural output in the near term creating shortages, riots and unprecedented price rises of products and we will simply not be able to feed the population without a substantial increase in imports
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