On the 21st local time, the Ministry of agriculture of Sri Lanka said that in order to ensure food security, it would immediately lift the ban on all agricultural chemicals, including herbicides and pesticides, marking that the reform of comprehensive organic agriculture in Sri Lanka has only lasted for just six months, and the efforts to become the first comprehensive organic agriculture country in the world have officially ended in failure.
The island country has been in a serious economic crisis. The lack of foreign exchange has led to a shortage of food, crude oil and other necessities. Last month, the authorities lifted restrictions on the import of chemical fertilizer for tea, the country’s main source of export revenue. Before farmers’ organizations planned to protest in the capital, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Agriculture said it would end a broader ban on all agricultural chemicals, including herbicides and pesticides.
Since the ban on the import of chemical fertilizers and pesticides was first implemented in May, a large area of farmland in Sri Lanka has been abandoned. Over the past week, the prices of rice, vegetables and other major foods in Sri Lanka have doubled, and the shortage has further worsened. Local supermarkets also carry out quantitative sales of rice, and each customer can only buy 5kg of rice. Last month, due to the shortage of organic fertilizer, the quality and yield of tea decreased. The Sri Lankan government resumed the import of some chemical fertilizers for tea cultivation.
Source: World agrochemical network
Post time: Dec-01-2021