News Today: Sri Lanka Provides Rs. 9.5 Billion Fertiliser Subsidy

The Sri Lankan government has credited Rs. 9.5 billion to paddy farmers’ accounts under the fertiliser subsidy programme, announced Agrarian Development Commissioner General U.B. Rohana Rajapaksha. This initiative supports 625,132 farmers across 25 districts, cultivating a total of 497,325 hectares of paddy land.

The highest beneficiaries are from the Ampara District, receiving Rs. 1,723 million, followed by Anuradhapura District with Rs. 1,244 million. Other allocations include Rs. 911 million in Polonnaruwa, Rs. 833 million in Trincomalee, and Rs. 118.3 million in Batticaloa.

The total cost of the fertiliser subsidy program is Rs. 20 billion. The current government increased the subsidy to Rs. 25,000 per farmer, disbursed in two phases: Rs. 15,000 in the first phase and Rs. 10,000 in the second.

To date, 314,963 farmers cultivating 251,669 hectares of paddy land have received the full Rs. 25,000 subsidy, amounting to Rs. 6.291 billion. This programme is expected to boost paddy production and ensure sustainable agricultural practices across Sri Lanka.