Farmers’ leaders are sounding the alarm as the government quietly withdraws from fertilizer importation, paving the way for a private sector monopoly that could devastate Sri Lanka’s agricultural future.
The Chairman of the National Farmers’ Union, Anuradha Tennakoon, has accused the government of secretly paving the way for a fertilizer monopoly by large-scale private importers. He revealed that authorities have failed to grant import permits for the upcoming Maha season, creating fears that state institutions responsible for fertilizer distribution are being deliberately sidelined.
According to Tennakoon, the National Fertilizer Secretariat, the Lanka Fertilizer Company, and the Commercial Fertilizer Company, which have for decades met the country’s fertilizer needs, are now facing the threat of closure. He alleged that this is part of a calculated plan to withdraw the state from fertilizer importation and distribution.
He warned that by handing fertilizer import rights to only a few wealthy businessmen, the government risks creating a dangerous fertilizer monopoly. Such a move would strip the country of price control, drive up fertilizer costs, and directly burden the farming community. Tennakoon stressed that this shift will not only hurt small farmers but also jeopardize the stability of the entire agricultural sector.
The Farmers’ Union has called on the government to immediately halt any attempts at privatization and ensure that fertilizer remains affordable and accessible. Farmers argue that abandoning state responsibility in fertilizer supply could trigger higher production costs, reduced yields, and ultimately the collapse of farming in Sri Lanka.
