Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that the efforts made by some political groups to bring the farmers to the streets once again failed because the agrarian service centres fulfil their responsibilities properly.
In the past, representatives of certain political parties tried to drag the farmers to the streets and destroy the agriculture sector in this country. But the programme implemented by the Government for the agriculture sector was fulfilled by all the agrarian service centres. Minister Amaraweera said that the efforts made by these groups have been in vain.
The prize giving of the competition held by the Department of Agrarian Development to select the best agricultural service centres in the country was held yesterday (13) at the Department of Agrarian Development Auditorium. The awards ceremony named ‘Agrarian Awards –2024’ was held under the patronage of Minister Amaraweera.
The Minister who expressed his views said: “Due to the fertiliser crisis in 2021, the yield of our paddy farming and other crops decreased. Because of this, from 2022, President Ranil Wickremesinghe started the programme of providing chemical fertilisers again. But to disrupt their work, people posing as farmers’ representatives of some political parties did various tricks. They said inferior fertilisers are being given to these farmers.”
He also said that a bundle of fertiliser weighs less. Therefore, scales had to be provided to the agrarian centres and fertilisers were issued by weighing. “They said there are worms in the urea fertiliser. We also investigated that. They tried to drag the farmers back to the streets by making such false statements, but it did not work. The role of the agrarian service centres was a big help in preventing it.
“The competition between these agrarian service centres is healthy. It was not advertised that such a competition would be held. These prizes are awarded by selecting the best-run agrarian service centres. Sometimes if they say that there will be a competition, they will face that competition and then stop all the good work they have done. This is not new. It is only to evaluate an activity they have been undertaking.
“Also, the Department of Agrarian Development has done excellent work in the past. Now there is a good board of officers.”
The Minister also said that it is the responsibility of all agrarian service centres to maintain this situation.
Kovilkulam Agrarian Service Centre was awarded as the best agricultural service centre in Category A, Pelmadulla as the best agrarian service centre in Category B, and Uppuveli Agrarian Service Centrs as the best agricultural service centre in Category C. They received awards from the Minister. Former Agricultural Services Commissioner General A.M.H.L. Abeyratne and Acting Agricultural Services Commissioner General Menaka Priyantha Abeyratne also participated.
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