Subsidised fertiliser for tea smallholders

by L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

The government has called upon the tea smallholders to obtain mixed tea/fertilizer bags of 50 k.gs at the subsidized price of Rs. 1000 from authorised dealers islandwide. A survey carried out by the Plantation Ministry revealed that mixed tea fertilizer was not used during the last six months by a majority of the tea smallholders due to the drop in the tea prices and the high prices of the mixed tea fertilizer in the open market. The fertiliser prices soared to over Rs. 5000 during the oil price hike .