Govt allocates Rs. 20 Bn for fertiliser subsidies for Maha season

The Government plans to deposit Rs. 20 billion in farmers’ accounts as fertiliser subsidies for the Maha season, according to Agriculture Commissioner General U.B. Rohana Rajapaksa. This support will benefit approximately one million farmers cultivating 720,000 hectares of rice.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has instructed the Treasury to increase the subsidy to Rs. 25,000 under the new administration for the 2024/25 Maha season. As an initial step, Rs. 15,000 has already begun to be disbursed.

Rajapaksa disclosed that Rs. 162.4 million has been transferred to the accounts of 36,500 farmers so far under the scheme.

The first phase involved payments of Rs. 9.5 million to 670 farmers in the Ampara and Kilinochchi districts on October 17, covering 638 hectares.

In the second phase, Rs. 46.5 million was granted to 4,475 farmers across 12 districts on October 23, for 3,102 hectares of rice fields.

The third phase, on October 28, provided Rs. 57.5 million to 4,219 farmers for 3,839 hectares, while the fourth phase saw Rs. 48.7 million disbursed to 4,804 farmers across 12 districts, covering 3,247 hectares.

The fifth phase, scheduled for this week, aims to deposit Rs. 279.4 million into the accounts of 22,419 farmers across 19 districts, supporting cultivation on 18,627 hectares.

Rajapaksa also noted that fertiliser subsidies are currently being issued to farmers in districts where the Maha season rice cultivation has begun, as confirmed by local agriculture service centres. However, districts such as Colombo, Kalutara, Galle, Mannar, and Polonnaruwa have yet to report the commencement of paddy cultivation. The Commissioner General highlighted that delays in cultivation are largely attributed to rainfall conditions. The remaining Rs. 10,000 from the increased subsidy is expected to be deposited as a second installment in farmers’ accounts by the end of this month.

Last year, the Government provided Rs. 11 billion in fertiliser subsidies for paddy farmers during the Maha season.

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