Local tea industry in crisis

The Small Tea Plantation Owners Association note that the decision taken by the Government to halt the importation of chemical fertilizer will cause the tea industry in the country to collapse.

They point out that maintaining the tea plantations only using organic fertilizers is problematic.

Meanwhile, tea planters in Yatinuwara, Kandy are facing inconveniences due to the shortage of fertilizer in the area.

They point out that without adequate fertilizer, the plants are being destroyed.

Furthermore, Senior Researcher at the National Institute of Basic Studies in Agriculture Professor Gamini Seneviratne point out that organic fertilizer can be successfully produced in Sri Lanka by combining nitrogen bio-fertilizer content with compost manure available in the country.

He noted that research has been done on the possibility of producing organic fertilizer by mixing such various compounds using modern technology and modern agricultural methods.