Agrarian Service Centers to operate on holidays for Yala season fertilizer distribution

The Department of Agrarian Development in Sri Lanka has declared that Agrarian Service Centers will stay open on public holidays to help distribute fertilizer to farmers who have started planting during the Yala season. Dhammika Ranatunga, the Commissioner General of Agrarian Development, mentioned that the department has arranged for these centers to be accessible on all public holidays and weekends. The government has decided that fertilizers needed for paddy farming will only be provided through government Agrarian Service Centers. This decision comes after concerns about possible interruptions in the fertilizer supply due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and efforts by some groups to stockpile fertilizers. The Commissioner General also shared that fertilizer distribution has already begun in areas where Yala season rice planting is in progress. At these centers, a 50 kg bag of Urea fertilizer is being sold for prices between Rs. 9,900 and Rs. 10,200.