Govt to manufacture high quality fertiliser

by Ranil Wijayapala

The government will soon embark on a project to manufacture high quality fertiliser using the rock phosphate deposit in Eppawala, Anuradhapura to save more than 50 percent of the foreign exchange spent for the import of fertiliser to meet the country's fertiliser requirements, State Resources and Enterprise Development Minister Dayasritha Tissera told the Sunday Observer.

Minister Tissera said that an inter-ministerial committee which had studied the project proposals to manufacture DSP and DAP fertiliser has come to the conclusion that the Government should give its nod for the project to go ahead in an environment-friendly manner considering the benefits and the country's requirements.

At present Sri Lanka does not produce Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) though it can be manufactured in Sri Lanka making use of the rock phospahte deposit in Eppawala.

Minister Tissera said that the State Resources and the Enterprise Development Ministry along with the Industry Ministry, Agriculture Ministry, Science and Technology Ministry, Board of Investment, National Planning Department Science and Technology Ministry launched a program to study the proposal to manufacture DSP and DAP fertiliser through a Cabinet Sub Committee and a experts panel and it has come to the conclusion that the Government should go for the DAP fertiliser manufacturing project.

Currently, Lanka Phosphate Limited under the Ministry of State Resources and Enterprise Development produces two types of Rock Phosphate fertilisers, Eppawala Rock Phosphate (ERP) and High-Grade Eppawala Rock Phosphate (HERP) which are used as fertiliser for perennial crops such as tea, rubber and coconut in Sri Lanka.

"However, there is much potential to expand our activities to give the maximum benefit to the nation from this valuable deposit if it goes ahead with the project for the benefit of the country", the Minister said.

The Minister said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is also very keen in manufacturing fertilizer in the country itself for the benefit of the agriculture sector of the country.

The Government pays Rs. 50 to 60 billion for companies importing fertiliser to provide a fertiliser subsidy to farmers.

"If all Ministries and organisations support for this endeavour we can make this project a success very soon", Minister Tissera said.