History of Ceylon Tea

The fertiliser subsidy programme started for tea cultivation has been implemented since last week.

Steps have been taken to reduce the prices of five types of fertilisers produced by the State Fertiliser Company by Rs. 4,000. In order to increase tea production in Sri Lanka, it is essential to apply fertilisers to all tea plantations. The reason for this is that the yield of tea harvest is rapidly decreasing due to non-fertilisation of tea cultivation for several years.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries took steps to reduce the price of a bag of fertiliser used for 50 kg of tea by Rs. 4,000 from last week, to overcome this shortcoming.

The total cost of providing this fertiliser subsidy is Rs.2,400 million. Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that this large sum was given to the tea growers without taking it from the Government, and arrangements were made to provide the entire amount by using the funds of the Sri Lanka Tea Board.

The State Fertiliser Company has reduced the prices of five types of fertilisers used for tea cultivation namely T 200, T 750, U 709, U 834, T 65.

At present, 5,000 metric tons of the fertiliser has been sold and the company has the raw materials required to produce another 10,000 metric tons. Currently, the amount of mixed fertiliser for tea available with the State Fertiliser Company is 815, 830 metric tonnes.

The Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister revealed these facts in a discussion held at the State Fertiliser Company in his Ministry.