Importing organic fertilizer a danger to the whole country – Prof. Ananda Kulasuriya

“They do not care even the scientific data we have presented or the statements we have made. These transactions are carried out regardless of what we say. I have a big regret. The people of this country will be in great danger,” said Ananda Kulasuriya, Professor of Soil Microbiology. He was commenting on the government’s decision to import organic fertilizer.

He further stated that the government had assured him at the first meeting of the Presidential Task Force on Green Cultivation that no organic fertilizer or material would be imported into the country. However, he is saddened to see the catastrophe of importing tons of fertilizer, added Prof. Kulasuriya. ,

Professor of Soil Microbiology Ananda Kulasuriya, speaking further said, “If there is a proper plan, it is possible to produce organic fertilizer in the country properly. However, it cannot be done in a week or two. At least 80% of the organic fertilizer requirement can be met locally by the next Maha season.

I was appointed as a member of the Presidential Task Force on Green Expansion. Nevertheless, I attended only one meeting there. At that inaugural meeting, I made it clear that organic fertilizer or organic matter should be imported into Sri Lanka from any foreign country under any circumstances. I asked them not to do that, and I did not name a country.

I said this as a professor of microbiology. As a scientist with about fifty years of research experience, I explained that the country would be in grave danger if that were done.

When I made those comments in public, they said, ‘I have no intention of importing organic matter at all.’ What happened in the end? Attempts are being made to import metric tons of organic fertilizer. In these fertilizer samples, we saw a bacterium in the genus arvinia that is harmful to plants. It is a pathogenic bacterium well known to botanists.

They do not care even about the scientific data we have presented or the statements we have made. These transactions are carried out regardless of what we say. I have a big regret. The people of this country will be in great danger.”