Dec 14, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Agrarian Services and Wildlife S.M. Chandrasena says the government will provide organic fertilizer to farmers free of charge next year.

The Minister stated that the organic fertilizer is in addition to the chemical fertilizer presently provided to the farmers at subsidized prices. The fertilizer subsidy costs Rs. 60 billion to the government.

The Minister recently launched a pilot project of production of compost in Anuradhapura district with the participation of 23,000 farmers.

The government has provided machinery, training and raw material like rock phosphate as well for the production of organic fertilizer to the farmers and their production is purchased at Rs. 8 per kilo.

This project is to be spread island wide in the second stage, the Minister stated.