ADB to provide Rs 10 billion for local paddy cultivators to buy MoP this Maha

By Ifham Nizam

The Asian Development Bank had agreed to provide Rs.10 billion to assist paddy farmers during this Maha season, the Agriculture Ministry said yesterday.ADB funds will be utilised to import Muriate of Potash (MoP) fertiliser. This is the first time since the 2021 season MoP fertiliser will be provided to paddy cultivation.

Officials said since MoP fertiliser was expensive in the world market, some relief had to be provided to the farmers in purchasing this fertiliser. Taking that fact into consideration, the ADB had agreed to provide Rs.10 billion to help farmers who cultivate paddy. Agrarian Development Commissioner General A. H. M. L Abeyrathne said that the Ministry had decided to give a subsidy of Rs 10,000 to every paddy farmer to buy MoP fertiliser.

The Agriculture Ministry has already completed tenders for the import of 40,000 metric tonnes of MoP fertiliser and the fertiliser is to be received in Sri Lanka by the end of November.The extent of land to be cultivated with paddy during the Maha season is 814,000 hectares.