Eastern Province Paddy Growers Left Waiting as Season Progresses
Farmers’ groups have raised alarm over the delayed distribution of fertilizer subsidies for the ongoing Yala farming season, despite paddy cultivation already being well underway across several regions, particularly in the Eastern Province.
National Agrarian Unity Organisation President Anuradha Thennakoon said the sowing of paddy in the Eastern Province has been completed, with crops now one to two weeks old. However, he noted that farmers have yet to receive either the first round of fertiliser or the promised financial subsidies. “Farmers are still in the process of completing the necessary applications, even as their crops continue to grow,” he told The Daily Morning yesterday (16).
According to Thennakoon, the situation is not limited to the Eastern Province. Paddy cultivation, supported by irrigation from small and large reservoirs in other districts, is also underway, with sowing expected to be completed by 30 April. Yet, farmers cultivating nearly 500,000 acres of land have not received the required fertiliser assistance.
He attributed the delay to poor planning by agricultural authorities, a problem he said has persisted through successive governments. “The fertilizer issue continues to impact farmers, not just this season but the previous ones as well,” he stressed, warning of potential consequences for crop yields if the matter is not urgently addressed.
Efforts to obtain a response from the Agriculture Ministry on the delays were unsuccessful at the time of publishing.
As the Yala season progresses without crucial support, farmers fear that the lack of timely fertilizer could undermine harvest outcomes, further straining the agricultural sector already hit by past policy missteps and natural challenges.