Steps taken to import fertilizer required for tea cultivation - Minister

Necessary measures have been taken to import stocks of fertilizer required for tea cultivation, says Plantation Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana.

Responding to a question raised in the parliament today (November 20), the minister stated that Sri Lanka is currently receiving the fertilizer shipments previously ordered by the government.

“We had given a very clear guarantee, and in keeping with it, we have imported fertilizer needed for tea cultivation,” the minister added.

According to him, the yield from last year’s tea harvest was 280 million kilograms and this year’s production has already surpassed 280 million kilograms. A yield of nearly 310 million kilograms is expected this year. “So, there is no issue pertaining to fertilizer.”

He also noted that the government has decided to provide the fertilizer required for other crops such as rubber and coconut.

The minister also pointed out, “the highest export revenue in coconut will be collected this year, with USD 1 billion. Meanwhile, the highest ever export revenue in rubber too will be received this year, at over USD 1 billion. The highest ever revenue from export crops will be reaped this year with USD 800 million. Although the revenue from tea hasn’t increased, it is stable.”

Speaking further he said: “Sri Lanka is set to reap its biggest-ever export revenue from minor crops in 2021. The total export revenue in minor crops including cinnamon and pepper in 2020 was Rs. 72 billion. By September this year, we had already achieved Rs. 72 billion. We will get the highest ever export revenue in this sector this year at around Rs. 100 billion. The largest-ever monetary allocation for the plantation sector of this country is made in the Budget 2022. The finance minister allotted Rs. 15 billion for tea, rubber, coconut, cinnamon, pepper and all other crops.”