🌾 Cabinet Approves Rs. 6 Bn for Yala Paddy Purchases & Clears Maha Fertilizer Imports

The Cabinet of Ministers has cleared vital funding and procurement strategies to safeguard Sri Lanka's domestic agriculture sector for the upcoming cropping cycles: • Yala Season Funding: Rs. 6 billion has been officially allocated for the 2026 Yala season paddy purchasing program. Paddy will be procured from farmers at the same guaranteed prices offered during the previous Maha season to maintain market stability. • Maha Season Cultivation: The government estimates that approximately 800,000 hectares will be cultivated with paddy and other field crops during the upcoming 2026/27 Maha season. • Fertilizer Procurement: To meet the extensive nutrient requirements, the Cabinet approved the immediate procurement of 10,000 tons of prilled urea and 10,000 tons of granular urea via an international competitive bidding process through the State Fertilizer Company. • Total Demand: Based on Department of Agriculture recommendations, the 800,000 hectares of crops will require a total of 169,635 tons of urea. This is in addition to independent fertilizer requirements slated for plantation crops, vegetables, and fruits.