tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2169714651107560632024-03-16T00:09:36.399-07:00P E R C E P T I O N Smusings of a renaissance farmerRajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.comBlogger227125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-25172594401951353352017-11-12T06:54:00.000-08:002017-11-12T06:54:02.066-08:00The pepper conundrum – a farmers rant<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>PARADISE FARM, KITULGALA - PEPPER READY TO HARVEST AND TAKEN IN ITS RAW FORM NOW - The purest form of a quality product</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I have recently gone to an organic farm
where I have been a director for over 14 years now, and which has not made a
profit in even one of them. It is in Kitulgala and is in an 85 acre property
that has mixed agriculture.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Its Norwegian owner pays in Euros sent
from his personal account to pay for the IMO certification, one of the most
expensive certifications there are, and we decided this year to drop them and
go for a more reasonable certification from a body that has more representation
here. Also during this period the IMO testing has been taken over by an
overseas source, which means their travelling costs etc. have to be borne by
the farm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As if to add fuel to the fire, a
previous manager, who obviously has to be prosecuted and jailed for his
conduct, has run away with all the documentation of the organic certification,
and the certificates themselves, so that when the new organization has asked
for the paperwork, we are currently trying to retrieve them from this manager,
an ex-planter, who should be ashamed of what he has done to his own colleagues
by this behavior.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">To cut a long story short, we are just
about to harvest the pepper and there are over 3,000 vines that have been
planted in between the tea and other crops on the Gliricidiya plants and are
heavy with Pepper, which have a higher oil content than that from other areas, and
we because of the rain and inclement weather are unable to dry on the farm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So we have about 3,000 kg of pepper that
we wish someone to purchase, perhaps even pluck with their own people if they
want the quality and purity they wish for processing purposes, and they can
weigh and take them away, and do what they wish with it. All we want is a
reasonable rate per kg that his plucked of this fantastic product.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Only a processor of quality pepper will
appreciate this product and so it make no sense for such a quality of organic
pepper, where our current certification document is the only missing item
today, and this was one of the pioneering organic farms of Sri Lanka for over
20 years, cannot sell its pepper for a reasonable price.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We are aware of the pepper price issue
lately with dumping of poor quality from Vietnam and so don’t want to be left
merely selling it to a trader or middle man who does not value our product. We would
like someone who knows the value of a good thing to come, observe or
participate in the plucking and take the whole harvest away to be dried, or
processed into black, white or otherwise immersed in the raw form and bottled
for export to come and buy this, a win win for both.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-18483793379475738122014-10-16T20:58:00.005-07:002014-10-16T20:58:59.892-07:00More on the CKDU story worth updating our memory banks!<div class="pull-right" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #505050; float: right !important; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin-left: 20px; max-width: 400px;">
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<span class="subtitle newsdetailssubtitle" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', sans-serif; font-size: 30px; line-height: 35px; padding-bottom: 20px;">From Ceylon Today 16 Oct 2014 </span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', sans-serif; font-size: 30px; line-height: 35px;">Govt's agriculture policy, cause of CKD –Academics</span><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Roboto Condensed', sans-serif; font-size: 30px; line-height: 35px;"> </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">By Ravi Ladduwahetty </span>three frontline university scientific experts blamed the government's agricultural policy as the cause for the Chronic Kidney disease which has engulfed the North Central Province and other geographical expanses of Sri Lanka.They attributed the use of excess and subsidized fertilizer as the cause, which flows down from the upcountry hills as Mahaweli waters and ends up in the paddy fields of the North Central Province and other areas, which areas now have a proliferation of the disease.Here, the three experts- University of Peradeniya Prof. Gamini Rajapaksa, former Director of Agriculture Dr. Chris Panabokke and founding Director of the Sugarcane Research Institute Dr. Nande Dharmawardena are in conversation with Ceylon Today.Th e difference between Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Aetiology (CKDU) The kidney is the principle end organ which participates in the elimination of liquid waste from the blood and helps maintain osmo regulation of the body. Kidney disease that manifests when its well-recognized causes (for example, diabetes, hypertension, and so forth) are absent is called Chronic Kidney Disease of Unknown Aetiology (CKDU). Urine-albumin excretion above standard threshold is usually the early clinical warning of CKDU.</div>
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<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Poor planning and inconclusive reports<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Unfortunately for Sri Lanka, speculators, non-scientists and newspaper columnists had a field day here on the subject while a plethora of studies carried out by various groups were besieged with poor planning, data gathering, required analytical skills, proper instrumentation and a wide knowledge on the subject areas under consideration, clouding the picture totally, spending millions of tax payer's money including those by the WHO and Ministry of Health here.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Groundwater Quality Atlas of Sri Lanka<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />One of the more systematic studies so far carried out is that by Prof. Tomonori Kawakami etal (2014) titled "Groundwater Quality Atlas of Sri Lanka" which fortunately has put a full stop to speculations on arsenic, cadmium, hardness of water and heavy metals in ground water. It implied fluoride as a contributing factor due to its incidence overlapping that of CKDU. But it failed to explain why some regions although having high fluoride do not have CKDU (for example Pulmoddai vs Medawachchiya; Ampara, Huruluwewa, Moneragala & Wellawaya). Hence, even if CKDU incidence overlaps the presence of fluoride, its presence does not imply CKDU. Studies elsewhere (for example, Rift valley in Ethiopia 2003) had found already that although 33% of the samples had high fluoride content but had no associated incidence of CKDU.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Thus it is evident that almost all the studies carried out on CKDU in Sri Lanka, tried to imply a known cause elsewhere in the world.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />None dared to think out of the box prolonging the agony, making even the government panic with mounting costs, increasing CKDU burden, despair, hopelessness gripping horror stories from affected regions and national elections round the corner!<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Scientific method and introductory facts on CKDU in SL<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />We trust this analysis using scientific methods will assist the authorities to bring lasting relief to the affected farming community in several farming areas in the country such as Girandurukotte in the Badulla District, Medawachchiya and Padaviya in the Anuradhapura District, Medirigiriya and Hingurakgoda in the Polonnaruwa District, Nickawewa in the Kurunegala District, where CKDU is prevalent (Figure 1).<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Affected patients are mostly rice paddy farmers. The estimated age-standardized prevalence of the disease is 15%. According to the Ministry of Health, the estimated number of CKDU cases is 69,258 as of June 2014. Estimated death toll is 20,000.Affected patients were of age categories over 55 years. The age category is shifting towards younger ages. It has been predicted that even school children could be affected in the near future.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Main culprit is poor quality ground water<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />It is important to note that CKDU is absent in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa municipality areas where pipe borne water is available from National Water Supply & Drainage Board directly implying that main culprit is the poor quality ground water in the affected areas. Closer examination of main aquifer types in Sri Lanka shows that CKDU incidence overlaps regolith aquifer of hard rock region with small tank cascade. These dry zone metamorphic hard rock regolith aquifers are found in NCP, NWP, NP & SP regions of the country (Fig 2).<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Regolith aquifer of hard rock region with small tank cascades in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa are affected by fertilizer runoff from Mahaweli system as well as intensive overuse of synthetic fertilisers in these areas, due to poor replenishment of their ground waters by fresh supplies caused by erratic weather patterns. Vavuniya and Hambantota have escaped this threatas yet as there are no feeder channels from high fertilizer runoff areas such as Mahaweli systems to those areas. Thus future irrigation schemes planned to divert waters from the hills to such areas<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />(for example Planned Uma Oya diversion to Hambantota) should carefully monitor water quality to prevent them acting as conduits of dissolved ions from excess synthetic fertilizers, their overuse and other sources polluting the hard rock regolith aquifer in those regions. Otherwise, CKDU is a distinct possibility in those areas too.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Proposed causal factors<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />CKDU is a disease of as yet unknown origin, which reared its ugly head first in the mid-1990s in the NCP. Since then, many causal factors such as fluoride from drinking water and in combination with aluminum in cooking pots/pans, cadmium in rice and fish, cadmium, iron and lead in reservoir waters, arsenic in hard waters and toxins from...<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />(Contd. on Page 13)<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />...cyanobacteria and chemically impossible glyphosate-arsenic association were proposed by various workers here. Perhaps, the ionicity hypothesis of Professor Chandre Dharmawardena et al explains satisfactorily most of the available data on CKDU in Sri Lanka. (Environ. Geochem.Health vol 34 no 4 August 2014 on line edition).<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Causal Factors of CKDU<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />All the available data on the subject up-to-date, since early fifties, when analyzed scientifically show that, main culprit is the high ionicity of NCP ground waters in certain areas together with dehydration/insufficient intake of potable water under hot sunny stressful work conditions and routine alcohol consumption habits of the farming community in place of potable water during long working hours in the sun together with changes in weather patterns especially higher day time temperature with erratic precipitation due to climate changes here have failed to replenish the high ionicity waters in regolith aquifers of the NCP as they are constantly replenished by high ionicity waters from Mahaweli channels as well as frequent oxidation-reduction of those regolith aquifers releasing increasing quantities of ions to water table in the area making even dug well waters in certain areas not within safe ionicity for human consumption. They all contribute synergistically to CKDU.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Speculators misleading the Government- root cause not eliminated<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />As basic sciences of CKDU root cause have been clouded by speculations, the latest being the glyphosate-Arsenic association which is chemically impossible in NCP soils, efforts of the government in eliminating the root cause of the problem is delayed as government is totally mislead by speculators. Since the root cause is not eliminated, NCP farming community in affected areas continue to suffer unnecessarily. In the meanwhile Dialysis, Kidney transplantation, Reverse Osmosis and supply of potable water have become thriving businesses for some.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />CKDU could be eliminated by practicing good science<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />CKDU has become a roaring business for some and for others it has become a topic for cheap popularity while the poor farming community is at the receiving end of this great circus. CKDU which could be eliminated by practicing good science has come to be viewed as a terminal incurable disease; a disease of as yet unknown origin, and the latest threat is the imaginary association between one of the well-known, time-tested green plant specific weedicide used all over the world including Europe, USA and Australia known commonly as "Round up" or chemically as glyphosate and a metalloid called arsenic species, combination of which is not favoured chemically! It is very well known that glyphosate only acts on photosynthetic tissues, it inhibits Shikimic acid pathways specific to green plants as the key enzyme is located in the chloroplast ("green tissue") only.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />It has no effect on animals and microbes even at concentration five times the recommended dose. Glyphosate is inactivated as soon as it comes in contact with soil or even water containing debris. Thus farmers are adviced to use clean water in their knapsap sprayers to avoid inactivation. If proponent of glyphosate-arsenic association knew geometry theorem called Reductio ad Absurdum of Euclid, he would touch neither glyphosate nor arsenic in CKDU context here. Thus hasty banning of glyphosate which has no connection to CKDU will not lessen the CKDU burden in the country, but certainly it would aggravate food production problems here.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Our country is blessed by Nature to have minimum levels of arsenic when compared to the same in the South East and South Asian countries. If the rice production is declined due to ill advised agriculture policy decisions such as glyphosate banning, country will be compelled to import increasing amounts of rice from other countries; rice grown in soils naturally containing excessive amounts of arsenic, such as those prevailing in Bangladesh, which would lead to many other health problems such as cancers as arsenic species are well known carcinogens (cancer causing agents).<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Implications of Cadmium<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />According to WHO reports, large amounts of cadmium ions have been added to our soils from imported triple superphosphate (TSP) fertilizers. Some reports point to possibilities of high amounts of cadmium in rice, cereals, lotus roots and inland fish, but their validity is doubtful as subsequent analyses which are reproducible have shown that cadmium levels in those food stuffs are below the WHO recommended levels. "Groundwater Quality Atlas of Sri Lanka" by Prof. Kawakami et al (2014) show that the values for arsenic and cadmium are extremely low and way below the stipulated standards which implies that arsenic and cadmium in ground water have no relation to CKDU prevalence in SriLanka.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />However, if ingested, cadmium ions use the body's built in mechanism to go to kidneys from the liver. It is possible that excessive dehydration would concentrate these toxic materials in the blood of hard working farmers and chronic exposure will accumulate ions such as cadmium which can certainly damage kidneys as proven in the case of ItaiItai disease prevailing in the Toyama Prefecture of Japan.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />High Ionicity of drinking waters and protein denaturation by Hofmeister mechanism<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />One of the more conceivable hypotheses for CKDU is that several ions being collectively responsible for denaturing of proteins as given by the Hofmeister series where fluoride ion is at the top in anions and ammonium is at the top in cations. These ions are readily available in excess amounts which are much higher than WHO recommended levels in these drinking waters.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Mahaweli waters acting as<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />conduits<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />The accelerated Mahaweli Project also brings in dissolved synthetic fertilizers that are applied to tea and vegetable cultivations in increasing amounts in the hill-country leading to increased iconicity in these particular areas where fluoride and ions derived from fertilizer are also abundant. This distinguishes between the drinking water quality of this particular area from those of other paddy growing areas, such as Ampara and Hambantota, and other areas of the Island. Hot environmental conditions prevailing in these areas concentrate both the so called "non-toxic ions" and "toxic ions" which can contribute to CKDU. Dehydration of farmers due to hard work under hot sun and also due to alcohol some of them routinely consume, together with inadequate water intake, will concentrate everything in blood; both apparently non-toxic ions and nephrotoxic (toxic to kidneys) ions.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />This proposal by Dharmawardene et al. (Chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology and ground water iconicity: Study based on Sri Lanka, 14 August 2014 In: Environ. Geochem. Healthvolume 34, No 4, available on line) fits very well with the facts available on CKDU in SriLanka. As such, the excessive usage of contaminated fertilizer and dehydration should be the most likely causative factors of CKDU.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Dehydration<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />A recent study by fourteen scientists of USA suggests that dehydration aggressively activates some biochemical pathways and thereby produce excessive amounts of unwanted materials some of which are toxic to kidneys. This study further supports the fact that dehydration to be the most likely causative factor of CKDU. The authors of this highly reputed publication have very correctly identified that global warming leads to the emergence of new diseases. Their study is based on CKDU in Central America but they have recognized that there is a concern that kidney diseases are increasing in other hot agricultural countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Mexico, Ecuador and Egypt.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Conclusion<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Attempts to link arsenic, cadmium, fluoride, algal toxins and glyphosate with CKDU in Sri Lanka are not only inconclusive but have no valid scientific basis as they cannot explain the CKDU data for Sri Lanka.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />On the other hand, high incidence of CKDU in Sri Lanka is shown to correlate with the presence of irrigation works and rivers that bring-in nonpoint source fertilizer runoff from intensive agriculture regions using excessive amounts of cheap synthetic fertilizers. Increased iconicity of drinking waters due to fertilizer runoff into river systems, frequent redox processes in hard rock regolith aquifers in tank cascades releasing more ions into these waters due to erratic weather patterns have jointly caused the CKDU. The consequent chronic exposure to high iconicity in drinking ground water together with dehydration under hot conditions debilitates the kidneys leading to CKDU.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Recommendations<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />• Management of water-table in hard rock regolith aquifer<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Management of water table in hard rock regolith aquifer to be within potable quality standard is the principle intervention required to eliminate the root cause of CKDU. In addition, educating farming community on adequate consumption of good quality drinking water, prevention of dehydration and alcoholism are the other salutary practices.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />• Free availability of good quality drinking water supplies<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Dehydration increases concentration of all ions in blood and speedily drives biochemical pathways generating species which are toxic to kidneys. As such, supply of good-quality drinking water for the CKDU endemic areas is mandatory to eradicate this disease.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />• Immediate review of Agriculture and hill country farming policy.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Banning of excessive use of synthetic fertilizers and monitoring their use in hill country are important. Resorting to organic farming in hill country through crop livestock integration, use of fertilizer efficient varieties, restricting cultivations of hills and practicing intensive cultivation of plains, subsidizing organic fertilizer and the supply of good-quality drinking waters to the affected areas would contribute to permanent solutions to the problem of CKDU. As a short term measure, drinking water derived from reverse osmosis would be an immediate solution but it should not be the permanent solution. Regolith and Mahaweli channels should be constantly monitored for excessive fertilizer runoff.</div>
Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-12413168628146989862014-06-30T20:07:00.002-07:002014-06-30T20:07:45.817-07:00Did you know the Breadfruit ( DEL ) is unbelievably nutritous<span style="font-size: large;">I do not wish to go into detail, but the link below will take you to a new item, that explains the wonder food, that we know as DEL and the different ways of cooking it in addition to how we prepare it at home here in Sri Lanka.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">So let us see how we can promote the growth of this easily planted tree in most parts of Sri Lanka </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2675002/Is-new-wonder-food-Breadfruit-high-protein-experts-say-potential-feed-world.html">http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2675002/Is-new-wonder-food-Breadfruit-high-protein-experts-say-potential-feed-world.html </a> </span>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-44493164959614570432014-05-12T02:34:00.003-07:002014-05-12T02:34:37.280-07:00Let us educate our homeowners to be ecologically sensitive as our need to keep up with the Joneses increases. <div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-line-height-alt: 9.2pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">It
is quite surprising that the United States in ONLY NOW waking up to the fact
that weekend gardeners especially in Spring when they begin to clean up and get
ready for the new season of flowering, and grass cutting, that they are using
10 times the pesticides and harmful chemicals on their yards, per sq ft than
farmers use, primarily due to the smaller allotments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As
the link below in the New York Times attests, it is time to realize the huge
negative effects on health by this practice, and learn from this and take steps
to MINIMIZE their use, as it has long term harmful effects on the water supply
and public health.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/opinion/sunday/the-toxic-brew-in-our-yards.html?_r=0"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/11/opinion/sunday/the-toxic-brew-in-our-yards.html?_r=0</span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thankfully
we have not got to this state yet as far as homeowners are concerned, but as
farmers we of course have a problem in our practices which we find hard to
change. Nevertheless this issue of Chemical Contamination of the Ground water
is a Universal Problem, and I will not be surprised if there are international
conventions covering the use of such, before long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
main thing is Education (repeat the word as much as you want!) as until our
citizens, most especially the young who are easier to convince and begin a life
time of good practice, realize their duty to their fellow man in preserving
their country for future generations, we will have an increasing problem.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Water
therefore needs a special place in our psyche. We must value it, store it
preserve, protect it from harmful toxins, and do whatever we can to use it
wisely in both home and agricultural practices in our daily lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Let
us begin my mandating water conservation methods and rainwater harvesting as
part of building codes and requirements for new constructions. This has to be
tied in with Dengue prevention methods too, to ensure we do not compromise that
effort by careless storage methods for water. If we view water as precious,
especially as many of our citizens have been in the Middle East where they can
see its importance, and its value, we will then take steps to include these
practices without delay. It is better to start now, so when the problem really
begins to bite, our preparedness will save us from misery!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-85546066447962599262013-12-17T02:33:00.002-08:002013-12-17T02:33:31.212-08:00Is this the answer - how to combat CKDU?<h1 class="entry_title" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #555555; font-family: georgia, verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 26px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">
as appeared in Colombo Telegraph of Dec 17th 2013</h1>
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Solving Kidney Disease In Dry Zone</h1>
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<strong>By <a href="https://www.colombotelegraph.com/?s=Chandre+Dharmawardana&x=11&y=4" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(59, 89, 152) !important; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Chandre Dharmawardana</span></a> -</strong></div>
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<a href="https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Chandre-Dharma-wardana.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(59, 89, 152) !important; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Prof. Chandre Dharmawardana" class="size-thumbnail wp-image-85881" height="150" src="https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Chandre-Dharma-wardana-150x150.jpg" style="border: 0px none; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 980px; padding: 5px 10px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;" width="150" /></a><div class="wp-caption-text" style="border: 0px; color: #888888; font-family: inherit; font-size: 11px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 17px; padding: 5px 4px 4px; vertical-align: baseline;">
Prof. Chandre Dharmawardana</div>
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<strong>Reverse osmosis, and bio-scavengers for cleaning the water and soil in areas affected by Kidney disease</strong></div>
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When kidney disease of uncertain origin (CKDU) appeared in the North-central province in the mid-1990s, some commentators hastened to claim that this was bio-terrorism associated with the Eelam wars. Today, a variety of opinions are touted regarding the origin and prevention of the CKDU epidemic. News reports tell us that cases have been noted in other `dry zone’ ares like <a href="https://www.colombotelegraph.com/?s=Hambantota&x=9&y=4" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(59, 89, 152) !important; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Hambantota</span></a> and Jaffna. Places like <a href="https://www.colombotelegraph.com/?s=Jaffna&x=11&y=4" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(59, 89, 152) !important; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline;">Jaffna</span></a> and other dry-zone towns are extremely vulnerable because of the rapidly increasing population while the water table remains limited.</div>
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A number of authors have raised the possibility of using special plants that accumulate metal toxins as a means of purifying the water. Others have suggested using reverse osmosis.</div>
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Last October when I was in Colombo I gave several talks in symposia on Kidney disease, e.g., one of them was at the Gannoruwa Institute of agriculture, while another symposium was at the Professional Institute in Colombo. I also raised this question of water hayacinth-like plants (water hayacynth, Japan jabara, lotus root etc), or even Murunga, and their capacity to extract and concentrate toxins from polluted water. This point has been raised by many others as well. Also, many of the relevant plans are listed in the Sri Lankan plants website (http://dh-web.org/place.names/bot2sinhala.html) that I maintain.</div>
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<a href="https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Map.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: rgb(59, 89, 152) !important; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Map" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-116921" height="583" src="https://www.colombotelegraph.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Map.jpg" style="border: 1px solid rgb(34, 34, 34); display: inline; float: left; font-family: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 0; margin: 0px 18px 2px 0px; max-width: 980px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;" width="420" /></a>In principle, such plants can be used to “clean the water”. In practice this is NOT TRUE. What do you do with the plants that have now collected all the toxic heavy metals? Are you going to put the plants back into the soil, or disperse them in the ecosphere, or burn them? None of them will work as the pollution will just go back to the water table. You have to physically bury them in deep pits, or compound them in bitumen, or drop them in the ocean — all costly steps.</div>
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The same issue of getting rid of the waste matter arises with the reverse-osmosis process advocated in seminars by various people and put in place by various NGOs like Sarvodaya. When 1000 litres of water are purified using reverse osmosis, 200 litres of highly polluted water remain in the reverse-osmosis machine. Now, where do you dump that water ? Do you dump it back to the soil? That will not help.</div>
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What we need to do is to cut the problem at the source. The source is the fertilizer runoff from the hill country, coming along the Mahaweli, and polluting all the water bodies connected to the mahaweli via the “accelerated mahaweli” project, and other similar irrigation projects which link agriculture and drinking water.</div>
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These problems did not exist prior to 1977. After the “open economy”, fertilizer sales became unregulated. The problem is not with the fertilizer, but with excess use where 5 to 10 times the required amount is used, and this gets washed off to our rivers like the Mahaweli, and end up in the drinking water. Testing for cadmium, arsenic etc in the drinking water shows no significant amounts of these ions, (as the WHO study found), because the culprit is not the presence of a few parts per billion of metal toxins. It is the excessive fertilizer run-off made up of phosphate, potassium, nitrate etc., that is causing the trouble. The WHO did not look at those ions, treating them as `benign’.</div>
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The fertilizer runoff adds to the already hard water in the Rajarata. The resulting high ionicity (brackishness or salinity) of the water destroys the inner layers of the kidney, just as brackish water corrodes anything it touches. Once the kidney is corroded, the small amounts of As, Cd etc., that are always found in any environment enter the body, and the human body accumulates them, just as many living organisms and plants do. The resulting kidney disease ultimately kills the patients. When you analyse their organs, they too are found to have accumulated As, Cd, etc, just as some plants (that do not have the capacity to filter out the toxins) do.</div>
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I have constructed a map of the areas stricken by Kidney disease of `uncertain origin’, and also drawn the river system on it. It is clear that the most affected ares are just those linked to the highly agricultural regions (e.g., the hill country and the Mahaweli) by rivers which bring in the excess fertilizer runoff. It is well known that most of our reservoirs are full of algae because of this fertilzer runoff. Furthermore, the benign algae that used to live in our tanks have, under the stress of excess phosphates etc., evolved into toxic varieties that did not exist in earlier times (e.g, 1960) in our tanks.</div>
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So the answe is clear. The fertilizer sales should be strictly controlled by the agriculture department. The government should issue to the farmers only the recommended amount of fertilizer (as was done in the 1970s, prior to the `open economy’ ) and stop the free sale of fertilizers and agro-chemicals. Then, after a few monsoons, the soil will be clear of the contamination.</div>
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The majority of plants don’t have special fitration mechanisms like the kidneys. So such plants can be used as a means of monitoring the water as it is easy to analyse the in the laboratory the more concentrated toxin present in the plant. I pointed this out in my talks at Gannoruwa and Colombo, and of course, this is not a completely new idea and I am sure other have thought of it. But trying to use them for cleaning all the water in the rajarata ecosystem is, in my view, not feasible and extremely expensive. In any case, we want to grow paddy or vegetables, and not ‘Japan-jabara’ or Salvinia. If we grow such plants to as bio-clensers, we will need to work hard to clean up the Japan-Jabara itself, perhaps with powerful weedicides?</div>
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The sale of fertilizers should be controlled, and fertilizer subsidies should also be stopped. The money saved can be used to help the affected farmers. If the excess use of fertilizer is stopped, we also save foreign exchange, and will regain our pure water table in a few years. The digging and selling of Eppawala phosphates should be stopped as the soil is already utterly saturated with phosphate.</div>
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Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-46327320205613972602013-12-16T06:01:00.000-08:002013-12-16T06:01:00.307-08:00No Wonder!<span style="font-size: large;">Sri Lanka is the world's highest user of Agro Chemicals and Pesticides</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=94148">http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=94148</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">1 Is it a wonder that our food costs soo much?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">2 Is it a wonder that our food is so full of poison?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">3 Is it a wonder that our food is so overcooked?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">4 Is it a wonder that we have an exponential increase in cancers?</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">5 Is it a wonder that that the Kidney Disease (CKDU) is spreading all over the country, unabated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">6 Is it a wonder that the people, especially the farmers voted for this Government that promised low cost Chemical Fertilizer?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">7 Is it a wonder that our Education system does not lead us to rationalize or think?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">8 Is it a wonder that we believe whatever we are told?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">9 Is it a wonder that we deserve this Government?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">WE VOTED THEM IN OVERWHELMINGLY, SO THAT THEY CAN QUIETLY KILL US WITHOUT OUR EVEN BEING AWARE OF WHAT IS HAPPENING TO US AND OUR ENVIRONMENT</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Shame in you citizen Sri Lankan for being so greedy and thinking what is in it for you, and not what is better for the general well being of all.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Don't be fooled, don't believe what you read, hear or see without rationalizing the likelihood of the accuracy of that observation. </span>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-71441549980862243192013-03-16T03:01:00.004-07:002013-03-16T03:01:29.013-07:00Do we want Monsanto in Sri Lanka – We already have Round Up!<br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">The
link below talks of the fact that in the last ten years, Argentina has had
18million hectares, that is three times the surface area of Sri Lanka planted
with GM Soya Bean. This GM Soya seed has been produced so it is resistant to
Round Up the herbicide, we also use in Sri Lanka to kill all weeds including
Illuk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2013/03/201331313434142322.html">http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/peopleandpower/2013/03/201331313434142322.html</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Whilst
we do not have many wealthy farmers who have expropriated land from the poor
peasants, to grow their crops in a large scale we have a worse scenario, where
we have the pesticide use, the worst in South Asia with NO productivity to show
for it. In that sense we are much worse than Argentina.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">I
was at the Cancer Hospital in Maharagama the other day for a Charity event
where there were 40+ famous local singers, singing on a stage for the benefit
of the inmates, who were wheeled down to watch and others who could not be
taken from their beds could only hear the music through their broadcast speaker
systems.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">Here
we in Sri Lanka have also seen a huge rise in Childhood Cancers. I have
personally known of a child in Polonnaruwa who has died of it. So what are we
doing about it as a country? At least Argentina has had an export boom in Soya,
with highest growth rates in South America and has made many people wealthy and
provided billions to the economy. Our farming has not produced one farmer millionaire,
and instead made our farmers dependant on chemical fertilizers and pesticides, with
NO long term benefit to them to the country, or to other citizens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">The
sooner we take a look at what it is we wish to see, do and establish in Sri Lanka
as a national agricultural policy that is better able to provide nutrition to our
citizens, and reduce the incidence of illnesses cancers, and other chemical fallout
resulting diseases the better it is for the long term health of the nation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">There
is NO action by this government led by brainless, charlatans to counter the impending
doom. All the noise in the media which has completely mesmerized the ignorant and
impressionable citizens into a false sense of security MUST be challenged if we
are to stop in this track and take the right steps. It may hurt us for a few years
to get the poison out of our lands, as it takes 5 to 10 years of non use to clean
up the water supply and other contamination that is already at high levels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; color: #0f0f0f; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">The
short term price is worth the long term gain in eliminating the country from the
pests of the likes of Monsanto. Remember its most famous product, Round Up is used
extensively in Sri Lanka! To what damage?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-2972068098297633382012-12-10T04:44:00.001-08:002012-12-10T04:44:13.131-08:00The Onion Conundrum – a peculiarly Sri Lankan odyssey<br />
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Sri
Lanka grows big onions only seasonally and harvests 90% of its local production
in the months August to October, before the October rains. Therefore the
Government in order to help the local onion producer had slapped an import levy
of Rs50/kg in August satisfying the local farmers as imports would create an oversupply.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Those
traders who knew about the import levy, were able to purchase and land their
onions in the country on time, so despite them not needing to pay the higher duty, they were
nevertheless able to retail their stocks at the higher prices, before the full
effect of the harvest and its surplus came to the market, thereby profiting handsomely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">There
is a slight difference in taste between the local onions and the generally
drier and larger Indian Variety. Also I believe the Indian variety stores
better and can be kept for a lot longer than the local variety and is also generally larger in size.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
do not wish to go into the intricacies of onion storage except to say that it
requires some purpose built shelves, to keep out moisture and preserve dryness,
something that the Indians are far better at.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So
when imported onions with the lower Rs15/kg was in the market in August, the
price was around Rs60/kg retail, where the landed cost to the importer at the
port before the duty is around Rs30/kg, if he buys in huge quantities. Then the
local variety flooded the market as soon as the harvest was sent to the market,
the Govt. increased the Tax to Rs50/kg, an increase of Rs35/kg. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">At
that point imports stopped, as the local was retailed at about Rs60/kg, when
the farmer was only given around Rs35/kg, the rest being made by the
intermediate players known as middle men, who also had a stock of the cheaper
imports to sell off as mentioned above. The Rs35/kg farm gate price was less
than the cost of production to the farmer, and many farmers were demonstrating
about it. No amount of duty increase was going to help them at that stage,
merely because the supply exceeds demand, and large scale storage is not possible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If
one takes a reasonable view, the product is demand inelastic as the consumption
pattern as a food item is pretty steady all year round, and the price will only
affect consumption marginally. The farmers are not sufficiently sophisticated
in terms of numbers to store this until prices rise, when supply weakens,
and therefore they receive a low price. Middle men cannot buy and store until
prices rise, as the special storage is needed just for a few months and the attendant risk of spoilage, and due to the type of onions we have. The lack of proper storage
facilities that are unique to onions, and where long life cannot be assured, as
one is unable to look at a sack of onions and determine if it was harvested
without being subject to a recent rain or some such moisture inducing event thereby closing that option.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">After
a while, when the supply reduced, the price began to rise to around Rs90/kg where farmers who were able
to store it were able to sell their stock at about Rs65/kg to Rs70/kg. I must
mention at this time that the Lak Sathosa outlets of the Govt. owned retail
stores around the country had purchased directly from farmers at Rs60 and sold
at Rs65 to the customers. There were problems in disposal and Lak Sathosa had
to throw away a lot as it was cheaper in the open market!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I
must say when I looked at the quality of those onions in those stores, there
was a lot to be desired, as their quality was bad, and only about 75% of what
one bought could be used. So no wonder trying to manipulate the free market ended
up costing this State owned enterprise a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Now
that the price reached Rs90/kg, supply being short, and a Rs50/kg import tax
which also corresponded to the retail price of imports also being at that
level, the consumer was left paying a much higher price. So now the consumer rights overtook the farmers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The
Govt. suddenly and without warning, reduced the duty back to Rs15/kg. It was the same for potatoes, and the duty on Red Onions was also reduced by less, as this harvest also has now ceased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It
does not take a rocket scientist to realize that the importers knew that the
tax would be reduced as there was no way the local market could supply the
needful, so they desisted from imports to only the minimal amounts ahead of the
duty reduction. As usual again, the onion farmers who were sophisticated enough
to be able to store the onions to get a higher price, were only releasing stock
that was likely to go bad, and held onto the balance to sell at the top. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">With
the duty reduced, the market price must fall by at least the reduction in the
duty, and the farmers who held on hoping this price level would continue have
begun to dump their onions in the market before the imports arrive. Now they
cannot even sell their lovingly and carefully stored onions for Rs30/kg as traders are now taking advantage of their distress and making a bigger margin as middlemen!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-language: TA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The farmers are now agitating, saying if they were given three weeks notice, they would have
released their stocks to the market in anticipation of the import duty
reduction. In this example one can clearly see the lack of a coherent policy
ALWAYS affects the farmer, however clever or versatile he may be in the
knowledge of storage methods, to keep his onions for a longer period.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">The farmer is not powerful as a group to affect the price, leaving it to the Trader to do the needful.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">Sri Lanka will not produce enough onions for local consumption, and cannot produce it all year long, so we MUST import it. The govt is encouraging more onion cultivation which will <b>ADD</b> to the seasonal woes not reduce it unless long term storage facilities can be set up at local level, but has to be done by individuals and not collectively as it is difficult to manage in a cooperative way. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">The Govt takes in a lot of tax from imports during the year to fund its other activities. Nothing will prevent the temporary price dive in August and September when the harvest comes in, as there is no way to store the excess by anyone other than the farmer who grows it who knows the quality of his own stock, store-able or not!</span></span></div>
Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-53552628038627784872012-10-25T23:20:00.001-07:002012-10-25T23:20:23.178-07:00It is time we treated WATER with more respect – not by charging though!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigI-VyucbIQfwk4HlDDcKL0FDk4qRol9VHfPYD-ERxKBVD65BjZj89CibLEvNiDJ5P2T4Tt_ed4n-nomZ2POSII-ggJ569Sf1U2ALqxZWeFswzWaxsnctgN2xi63sldNrB0dhly4E2TFQ/s1600/DSC00329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigI-VyucbIQfwk4HlDDcKL0FDk4qRol9VHfPYD-ERxKBVD65BjZj89CibLEvNiDJ5P2T4Tt_ed4n-nomZ2POSII-ggJ569Sf1U2ALqxZWeFswzWaxsnctgN2xi63sldNrB0dhly4E2TFQ/s320/DSC00329.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">People in countries and states where
water is scarce, know and practice the art of conserving and careful use of
this scarce commodity. People are very used to going to great lengths to use as
little as possible for their daily needs. Almost all homes in those countries
have water meters and people are charged under different bases for water
consumption. Few wash their cars at home, and go to car washes where water is
used sparingly and reused as grey water. Grey water is used for gardens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Colombo folk, now pay increasing charges
for water and are more conscious of the cost; rarely do we see a maid watering
the garden with a hose, and instead see them use watering cans to water
specific areas of plants and flower beds, when there has been no rain for over
10 ten days. These days the rains are heavy and thoughts of water conservation
are few, however it is now time to think of conserving a larger percentage of
this rainwater, that now just flows down to the sea, without prior use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseGDHpzfgV8bPBLJM2X40Y1U-TvSjFhicO8ZLWAAp1IribDCMrJ1JWuoly9PVy2EvZUZdBpDUtn27oBDRHVEBgroMMFpvOjNRFI02nh5B_xcN2XMMRF2nJPfCHxGc636lZ7Guqr7ThVw/s1600/DSC00328+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseGDHpzfgV8bPBLJM2X40Y1U-TvSjFhicO8ZLWAAp1IribDCMrJ1JWuoly9PVy2EvZUZdBpDUtn27oBDRHVEBgroMMFpvOjNRFI02nh5B_xcN2XMMRF2nJPfCHxGc636lZ7Guqr7ThVw/s320/DSC00328+(2).JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">All new rural water schemes come with a
water-meter, and homesteads are charged for the water they use. It comes from a
central source via the pipelines that are now increasingly being laid along the
roads with outlets to each building plot. When the bills come people begin to
realize the need to conserve and hence are careful in their use. Many homes
that have this so called mains supply also have wells and therefore use the
well water when needed or as necessary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is now dawning on people that the
well water is not an unstoppable source of free water, and that the water table
is affected by over use of well water, and sometimes can lead to permanent
loss, where the ground water level does not refill.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I have to pay a standard fee per season
for the use of water to my fields. It is a nominal charge, which does not take
into account the true cost of supplying water via the system of channels and
canals from the Minneriya Tank. I have stated before that I have perennial
problems of non receipt of water, as I am the last in the channel and my
neighbors who are further up take the water (more than their allocation) with
none left for me, resulting in my having to pump water from the river to make
up the shortfall. This incurs the ire of the authorities for so doing, as it is
supposed to be water that is due further downstream harvested by a system of
anicuts to paddy fields. Whilst excess water seeps into the river from field
ahead of me, I am supposedly prevented from pumping that back for my fields!!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1t4muJ9kOaZR2uYhL_JZn6IYEvdg0rj8xtDU6bbwhveRBz9CmBae6DY7XS3t-mx6Bs_G-d5PsVWM0GKYRjn6wKtUD8sCoLJPm9k-oulkonEJiGxPC5l_zW5TwCdXuOil81fPiRmjILqw/s1600/DSC00334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1t4muJ9kOaZR2uYhL_JZn6IYEvdg0rj8xtDU6bbwhveRBz9CmBae6DY7XS3t-mx6Bs_G-d5PsVWM0GKYRjn6wKtUD8sCoLJPm9k-oulkonEJiGxPC5l_zW5TwCdXuOil81fPiRmjILqw/s320/DSC00334.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The attempt recently to make an annual
charge for the use of a well in one’s own property was greeted with horror.
However whilst I agree at present it is best not to do so, it is still worthy
of a reminder that the precious water MUST be conserved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-32939376583946298752012-10-02T23:15:00.000-07:002012-10-02T23:15:03.874-07:00Only 65 Tonnes of paddy have been purchased from Polonnaruwa District!!<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In today’s (3<sup>rd</sup> October 2012)
Daily News it was reported that subsequent to the Yala Season harvest only 65
Tonnes of paddy have been purchased by the PMB from the Polonnaruwa District.
There is no reason given as to why this amount is so low. Is it because the farmers
just had no surplus paddy to sell the state? No explanations are given except
for the facts.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Subsequent to last season’s bumper
harvest, there was a lot of paddy in storage, as a result of the state
purchasing and filling the various storage warehouses. Some of this paddy has
been sold at a price lower than the state purchase price to local millers,
whilst the bulk of it still remains in storage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The state is manipulating the price.
That is by not releasing the stock in the silos, and the small crop this
season, a shortage of paddy has resulted. This has raised the farm gate price,
a boon to the farmer, though his crop is a fraction of the previous season and
is small comfort. This is the simple reason why the state has not been able to
purchase the paddy. It is not worth their while for the farmers to take the
paddy to the state buyers, when they can get a higher price at the fields from
traders. For those in the know, a three bushel paddy bag of nadu rice sells for
Rs2200 and for the samba white it is Rs2400 the latter at Rs 38/kg when the
govt. purchase price is Rs30/kg. I am told the price is on the way up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is important now that the state does
not play games with manipulating stock of rice in stores to raise the price, so
as to release an excess only to fall again. In the same vein the state can
create an artificial shortage by not releasing rice from their stores
increasing the market price. This will help the large millers more than anyone
else to increase their price, and dupe ruined marginal farmers who have decided
to abandon paddy cultivation, to get back into the Maha season!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What this does is enrich the millers and
make an already poor paddy farmer even poorer, cheated by a false sense of
security. Please do not forget that traders make profits on the changing price
of paddy. The farmers dispose of it at whatever price they can get, as they
have to turn their harvest into cash. They cannot afford the luxury of storing
it until the prices rise, unlike the rich traders and millers. The state is
playing the enabler yet again, on behalf of these unscrupulous traders who
profit from this turn of events. The customer now has to pay a higher price for
rice, even though there are thousands of tons of rice rotting in the government
stores, not being sold(why?). This sort of behavior by the Govt. is
unpardonable, as I can see the farmers’ desire to farm, daily diminishes by
such State in/action.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-82669839437691741732012-06-24T08:45:00.000-07:002012-06-24T08:45:08.146-07:00The reintroduction of the Crate rule – is only one reason<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpas3kQZ9OVBCUr8-vkUBcpCLqT2e3E4VPTP5b2dvHrm6NXLUC75aXnOAjjP1N9qZkgx1KFagPm8NofWboEvSqTMFLmk0djjZ4XWIdeJqbNHqL5CtadPy_Ifasla-9ZcLiNn_OfQ-mhGA/s1600/stack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpas3kQZ9OVBCUr8-vkUBcpCLqT2e3E4VPTP5b2dvHrm6NXLUC75aXnOAjjP1N9qZkgx1KFagPm8NofWboEvSqTMFLmk0djjZ4XWIdeJqbNHqL5CtadPy_Ifasla-9ZcLiNn_OfQ-mhGA/s1600/stack.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It was barely
two months ago when the farmers were screaming blue murder that they had
surplus vegetables that they could not sell. Tomato was rotting on the trees
too costly to pluck. Now tomato is Rs300/kg at retail! So what gives?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPeFV9191DzGaiMZSUCMBUOEWMK5tGuR1qXHTklQiKkAojnJydSd1gUAk2I83zPuWnxGpW4XrYFNqY7PnmAP1q7p0BeFjpHrfMYOhkOqGlA4E3HzCNJ9VNHifnE8sPptLWW2c1rY1L3g/s1600/crates.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPeFV9191DzGaiMZSUCMBUOEWMK5tGuR1qXHTklQiKkAojnJydSd1gUAk2I83zPuWnxGpW4XrYFNqY7PnmAP1q7p0BeFjpHrfMYOhkOqGlA4E3HzCNJ9VNHifnE8sPptLWW2c1rY1L3g/s1600/crates.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tomato was
always transported in boxes to prevent being squashed so the crate law does not
impact them differently. It is purely a question of good weather which brought
a bumper crop, and farmers stopped growing tomato as it was not worth their
while and hey presto there is a shortage, coupled with the drought that has
intensified the problem. It helps to be contrary, as those people who were able
using greenhouses to grow tomato expecting the shortage and price rises are
making hay. However one can probably count the number of people in this
fortunate state on the fingers on one hand, there are so few who took
advantage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That particular
circumstance aside, there is a huge debate going on as to why there is such a
massive fluctuation in vegetable prices, which are not always exactly
predictable, year on year. The crate issue is not the main reason. After all
only a total of 25 fruit and vegetables require to be transported by crates.
That is peanuts in comparison to over 100 varieties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Many of the
price increases are on vegetables that do not even require crates, though
obviously there is an added cost involved in crate transport, not covered by
lower post harvest losses. Ironically due to the political sensitivity of the
farm lobby, the crate law does not apply farmers. That at a stroke reduces the
benefit of the crate law in the first place as there is a substantial loss in
transport from the farm gate to the main wholesalers at Economic Zones where
they are first transported to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In today’s
context the drought is bigger factor, as it is across the country and not restricted
to an area. The only people likely to benefit from this are people who were
able to grow vegetables in their home gardens, use available water from home
wells to grow their vegetables for home consumption and therefore save on
market prices, which mean they will now be able to eat, that which they were
priced out of. Good for them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is clear that
farmers have not been able to weather proof their production, and due to lower
yields will not benefit from price increases.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-64425028767803708182012-06-23T08:54:00.000-07:002012-06-23T08:54:21.937-07:00Hemakumara resigns! About time! Have you finally seen the light? What took you so long?<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">A Presidential
Advisor on agriculture and a former MP and minister, who defected to the UPFA
from the UNP, and lost his seat at the last elections, Hemakumara Nanayakkara
resigned his post today in disgust at the Government Agricultural Policies or
lack of them. He is also the younger brother of Vasudeva Nanayakkara, an MP and leftist!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This blog is full
of the lack of it! And it does not surprise me that after his visits to the
farming communities all over the country, it is apparent what a pigs breakfast
this Govt. has made of agriculture. The agriculture ministers are confused as
to what their responsibilities are, the bureaucrats in the departments are
completely unhinged and the farmers left in the dark, as policies come and go
in a field that requires long term planning for effective productivity in the
least productive sector in our country.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I am sure that
once confronted with the farmers’ woes, of schizophrenic behavior on the part
of Govt. policies, he realized that he could only express his honest opinion,
by not being a yes man, but by being truthful and objective that there is NO
policy that is being implemented to benefit agriculture in Sri Lanka.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This lack of
knowledge of the subject and the pursuance of a policy aimed at hoodwinking the
farmers for votes to win elections, is grounds to be disgusted, as the Govt. takes
advantage of a very delicate community facing incredible odds to make a living.
It is time that he gives his frank opinion, rather than pussyfooting around, as
to the real reasons he is disgusted with the current state of play.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So how about a summary:
The quality of the fertilizer given to the farmers suck. The use of the fertilizer
is harmful. The planting material given is not up to an acceptable standard. The
weather forecasts were wrong and so the officials gave farmers the wrong information
with regard to planting, resulting in a colossal loss of inputs as the plants will
now die. The unannounced withdrawal of the subsidy for non paddy crops and the late
availability of fertilizer. The difference between the guaranteed price to the farmers
and the real price they receive. The lack of a market for the produce, and the bad
advice from the department on every aspect of agriculture. To name a few of the
topics to be covered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-31232858564444343122012-06-22T22:52:00.000-07:002012-06-22T22:52:02.856-07:00Sustainable Agriculture – Its everywhere but in practice!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCXe2hkgaBXGFvP3wGZlyiwOAAaLx8sURL0hPtjGVj27jtKuIl7-tWqXKAuJAttJWS_FVHwfQcd4bO28_sxysjHiqlb8w2SHZAeG16uIlZJl2m0Fx6IEKB7gquxv3kHsYGRn7yRZ1mxA/s1600/sare-national.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiCXe2hkgaBXGFvP3wGZlyiwOAAaLx8sURL0hPtjGVj27jtKuIl7-tWqXKAuJAttJWS_FVHwfQcd4bO28_sxysjHiqlb8w2SHZAeG16uIlZJl2m0Fx6IEKB7gquxv3kHsYGRn7yRZ1mxA/s1600/sare-national.gif" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">There is so much
pontificating words written about sustainable agriculture and I believe very
little of that comes directly from someone who earns 100% of his income from
existing agriculture, sustainable or not.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Why is that? The
person who is a full time farmer cannot see the practical side of the concept
as he cannot contemplate doing without many of the inputs he has become
accustomed to. He cannot see that he can earn a comfortable income following these
principles. After all he wants a life, like all of us. In my experience it is
only theoretical farmers who have other income means who practice this in a
serious way, and by so doing they grossly under price in terms of the market
place. The reason is that if the true economic cost was charged, no one will
buy. I can vouch for that as I also attempted to do the same and discovered how
expensive it really is, especially to do it on a small scale. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">While I believe
there are merits in sustainable agriculture, there is no concerted effort to
bring the two opposing factions together or to bridge the gap. The poles are so
extreme that people in either camp despise those of the other. Into this
argument are those who espouse green agriculture and those who term that green
is greed in a veiled guise. After all the Green Revolution whilst increasing
yield had as a direct result the abandonment of thousand years of practices and
techniques purely in the interests of extra yield in order to save the world
from starving.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So what is the
bottom line? We must attempt to explain it coming from the results of existing
practices (post green revolution) that are promoted or are in current use.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Well it is that
our land is being severely polluted. Sri Lanka uses 10 times as much chemical
pesticides and weedicides over recommended usage. I was shocked at a picture I
saw in an article by the reputable environmental advocate for agriculture, Dr
Ranil Senanayake, which showed a diagram of the seas of the world and the seas
around Sri Lanka were the MOST polluted of all the seas. If that is not scary I
don’t know what is. I was shocked into being aghast staring at it for a while
wondering how we in this country got into that state of self destruction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now it is up to
the political will of our people. Can we ban their use? Yes but not unless we
have an alternative in place which is at least as acceptable. We were a country
with supposedly 3000 varieties of rice. We probably grow at most 15 varieties
now. We DO NOT use transplant techniques to weed and instead use pesticides and
chemicals. The Govt. in their foolish wisdom, came into power by promising the
continuation of a fertilizer subsidy, that is both costing the country Rs50B
per annum, but which has now resulted in a huge set of medical problems from
the seepage of these chemicals into the water table, and could shortly decimate
our population if not checked, like malaria never did!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
environmental lobby advocate small farming, and decry the large farms and their
control over land and also labor, by making slaves out of small subsistence
farmers, but that argument is very disingenuous as there is no way if the
country wants a GNP of $5000 a year, that these small farmers can remotely get
to even a fifth of it!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As long as some
NGO pays their airfare to Rio and they can interact and bullshit with fellow
environmentalists, the farmer in the 2 acre field is left destitute eitherway
and so if we advocate NO use of chemicals, who is there to guide him in the
practice? He needs his hand held for a while before he can embrace the
alternatives. Along with the change of direction, go obligations, expectations,
and behavior modification, which we expect the poorest sections of our society
to engage in when the wealthy smugly do not even budge from their inertia, but
pontificate.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Unless the whole
process engages a holistic change in the food chain from education of eating
habits, to the need for paying more for food items with worms as being healthy
for you, to methods of storage and transport that ensure that most of the
benefit accrues to the farmer and not the intermediary, it will not succeed. A
rational and commonsense way of eliminating the middlemen in the food chain
along with the mafia who control and therefore hype the price to the consumer,
whilst at the same time pressing down the price to the farmer is the only
answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I do believe
that even if we have half the yield, we can still feed the population, by
changing eating habits to healthy from volume, and from mostly closely grown
than from transported from afar, to reduce the carbon footprint. We must simultaneously
address wastage, reduce length and cost of transport, and ensure above all,
education of the consumer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-51510945284096824842012-06-21T23:17:00.002-07:002012-06-21T23:17:49.776-07:00The Drought - Tobacco Company – in the farmer’s pocket – or the other way round<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzE0aR8x0gGnXfGc6aNYL7jir0rSHWlJ2Xj1OgV21ja5zihRKX_P1WQiwrdSLDv5gh5SHxzwbaBbtR-9dlxSgj_EncXLGwI7-iwfvXMvvUhrrZo3A_mONLl3TUaIoyLmht1U0WrSlyeI/s1600/tobacco.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlzE0aR8x0gGnXfGc6aNYL7jir0rSHWlJ2Xj1OgV21ja5zihRKX_P1WQiwrdSLDv5gh5SHxzwbaBbtR-9dlxSgj_EncXLGwI7-iwfvXMvvUhrrZo3A_mONLl3TUaIoyLmht1U0WrSlyeI/s320/tobacco.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">There is a huge
ongoing issue in the Bakamuna Elahera, Yoda Ela stretch, Mahaweli H zone I believe
it is called. No water has been supplied to the farmers after a promise that water would be released on May 1<sup>st</sup>. Water was released for a
few days, which confused the farmers into getting ready for planting and then
it was stopped. No water has been sent subsequently.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Firstly the
farmers who jumped into preparing their lands were left high and dry licking their
losses. Then the Tobacco Company reps jumped in and offered an alternative of
growing tobacco where they will supply all the inputs without having to lay
down any money and will only deduct the costs once the harvest is in from the
final proceeds, which suited many farmers. Many of the people with connections to
the local politicians, who promised them the minimum water, got into that line
and are continuing this cultivation to the disgust of the farmers who did not,
and the anti tobacco NGOs who are complaining that there is a mafia controlling
the limited water supply to supply the tobacco plantations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THERE IS NO DRINKING
WATER let alone water for cultivation. The Problem is acute, within a month the
people will explode into violence against the inability of the government to act
and their continuing to help their own friends and connections in the Tobacco Cultivations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">WE MUST DO SOMETHING
TO HELP THEM. They have NOWHERE TO TURN. GO SEE FOR YOURSELF THIS IS NO JOKE. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">No one to hear their
plight. They believe the politicians are far removed from their daily problems and
as the politicos cannot solve their immediate problems prefer to stay away in 5 star AC comfort in Colombo. Even
the President who turned up at Elahera about a month ago, hooked it back to his
Helicopter and flew away into the sunset, and did not wait to make the speech he
was supposed to, as he would have been lynched by the people for saying things that
do not mean anything to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The problems
have got so acute as even drinking water is at a premium with wells running dry
as the traditional Yoda Ela Canal is not supplying even a trickle of water for
bathing as there is no water in the Mahaweli system to supply the diversion
through Polgolla that comes into this area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Govt. DOES
NOT give subsidized fertilizer for tobacco so the tobacco farmers are
completely on their own, with advice from their reps to manage their plantations,
and the necessary help within their own organizations. The farmers not in this cultivation
allege that the District Secretariat staff assist them in breaking rules to provide
them with water. It is possible that violence may be directed at these people before
long.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Don’t say I did not
forewarn of the impending catastrophe. When you are thirsty and see no way of buying
water, when you have no way of paying for medicines or for food as these people
have used all their savings already, you do not understand the seriousness of the
situation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Any politician who
goes there without a solution at hand with them, will be lynched so no one dare
go there. You cannot promise anything anymore as people will not believe any promise
as they know they are mere words.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Added to this the
sudden withdrawal of the fertilizer subsidy for other crops has spooked farmers
who did not know in advance that this subsidy had been withdrawn. So for their corn,
green gram, soya cultivations, they will have to purchase their own or manufacture
their own fertilizer at market prices. Today that is a moot point for the Mahaweli
H zone farmers as they are facing a bleak future at least until the October rains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Why do we wait for
the problem to get worse before we take steps to try and help? The Minister of Disaster
Management, don’t say you have not been informed. If we assist in helping them with something like
emergency tube wells we may at least alleviate the drinking water problem. I was
suggesting a bowser of water but then when one village is helped, the other village
will say they did not get water and get angry with the giver. This will be considered
just a band aid to prevent the deep cut that needs stitches.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tobacco cultivators
be warned, along with Pradeshiya Sabha members of the area, your plantations face
the first of the blows. More importantly anyone who is willing to help DO NOT go
to the Government departments who will take all you have to give and more without
any of the needy people getting anything. Go direct, give each a bottle, tag their
fingers so they cannot come for seconds and give as much as you can.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-10050239734933926862012-06-03T19:45:00.002-07:002012-06-03T19:45:29.137-07:00A case for a close look at the Fertilizer imports – quality sucks!<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">I missed the 7am
SLTB bus to Hingurakgoda, because it left the Ratmale junction at 6.45am and so
took the Private bus at 8am. Rs37 is the bus fare and it was packed with the
locals going to the Sunday Pola (farmers market) including those who missed the
earlier bus.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I got the chance
to chat with my friends in the Pola, where I used to go every Sunday when I was
in town in my farming days. I had not seen them in a while and many had not
even heard of the accident so were pleased to see me hobbling just with a
walking stick now!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I was chatting
with a farmer friend, who had brought his produce to the pola for sale. Boss
Mama is what I call a professional farmer, in a small way intensively farming
about 5 acres and has tried almost everything. So it was him, I used to go for
advice in the past, and was generally talking about the state of farming, and
the problems he was facing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now though the
fertilizer subsidy at a lower amount is given to the farmers for other crops, I
was asking him about some of the issues. He was quite firm in that the Urea he
uses is a little suspect now. The quality has dropped substantially. It is all imported,
mainly from the Middle East as it is a by-product of the Oil Refining
processes. I checked the international prices at the moment, being US$550 a ton
which works out to Rs72/kg or over Rs3500 per 50kg bag for which Rs1000 is charged,
the rest being the government subsidy. The actual cost is now higher as it must
include the transport, and retailer margins when one buys it locally.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Either way there
appears to be some fraud that goes on in the procurement processes for this. There
is a tender board through which the urea is purchased, and I read in today’s Sunday
Times about serious irregularities in the tender process being highlighted. Be that
as it may and remembering how the tea small holders are also demonstrating about
the poor quality of their fertilizer, urea being the main component for the lush
growth of the tea bush, it boils down to a problem! These tea smallholders were
complaining the fertilizer they purchases actually killed the tea bushes a serious
allegation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Another problem in
using state procured fertilizer to which the government must accept full responsibility.They
must right these wrongs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-82373772016783614912012-06-02T23:58:00.003-07:002012-06-02T23:58:20.534-07:00Another disaster in the offing. The hapless farmer is in the thick of it<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">I am in
Minneriya during the Poson weekend, for some rest and relaxation, but I have
been confronted by a problem that the local farmers have brought to my
attention that I believe needs to be noted at the national stage and I do not
see the prominence given to it as it deserves.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As I came by bus
to Minneriya at dawn last morning, I was shocked at the low level of water of
the Minneriya tank, which was full at the same time last month when I was here
a for a few days over Vesak. It shows that there is no water to be sent from
Polgolla via the Yoda Ela down to Polonnaruwa as the Victoria Dam is empty and
the water level has gone down to a depth that the old Teldeniya town which was
submerged is now on dry land! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If there is no
serious rain, then the farmers who have sown will lose their crops as I do not
believe there is enough water in the Minneriya Tank today to tide them over
till the harvest. So at least the farmers who were not allowed to work their
land in the Elahera Bakamoona line are spared this disaster, though they are
agitating for a greater share of land to be ploughed, not realizing why they
have been asked to keep the land fallow. There is not proper information flow from
bureaucrat to farmer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is a mess
that does not have a solution, as the farmers have ploughed in everything
literally into the land and if they are not able to harvest, there is no real
relief, which is enough to turn the area into a disaster zone with farmers not
being able to feed their families. It is a possibility not worth contemplating,
but needs to be addressed sooner rather than later, alerting them to the
impending disaster rather than them having to face the music later. It is
important therefore that the water to the land is reduced immediately to save
it for a later date rather than hope for rain that may not transpire. We in Sri
Lanka are poor communicators and it shows.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Let us begin with
a water index in the newspapers and highlight the value of water conservation immediately
especially for farmers who waste water as they do not pay for it directly. It is
only then that farmers will not waste water unnecessarily in a way I have pointed
out time and again here in the blog, to prevent other farmers from getting water.
I believe that we MUST ACT NOW before it is too late for this season. The young
paddy plants look so lush and green today hiding what might be in store!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-86137541136030747842012-05-28T09:56:00.002-07:002012-05-28T09:56:40.576-07:00The vast areas of arable land that is not cultivated in Sri Lanka<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14pt;">I would like to
point out that in my travels in the Gampaha district lately, I see huge swathes
of land that remain uncultivated. They are mainly the paddy lands which we see
all around us. This is simply a shame. The government as usual tries to make
rules for people to follow, not make the foundation for a solution. So what
they do is say they will take over uncultivated lands, unless the owner
cultivates it. By making such rash and unsound statements, they are laying
themselves open to ridicule.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is simply not
practical to farm these lands in small units. In order to achieve a profit the whole
field, some with over 50 owners must be cultivated as one, and the renter can pay
the owners of the land, an amount based on that person’s allotment size. The problem
is one person’s opinion of what is a reasonable rent may differ from anothers, so
there may be some form of set rate, and as all the owners have to participate, as
otherwise the tenant farmer will not take up the opportunity, it is not an easy
one to solve, but is doable. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It is this out of
the box approach that is now needed for cultivation, as we are only realizing a
minuscule amount of productivity from our lands due to the small intensive agriculture
we have practiced for generations, which does not make economic sense today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the legal side,
what they need to do is to reinforce the ownership of the land, so the owner
does not lose his rights if someone else rents that land for any purpose, even
to graze their cattle. If one just takes the latter as an example, if I am able
to rent a large paddy field for a period of three years to grow grass, and then
use this new variety of grass that is high in nutrients for the cows, I may be
able to run a profitable dairy business. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If I can do this
in the Gamapa district close to the areas of consumption of milk, it will serve
many purposes. It will help us become self sufficient in Milk production for
domestic use. It will also help us utilize unutilized land for a constructive
purpose without using it as fallow. A mix use of growing grass can turn the
soil fertility round and be a good intermediate crop before the owners retake
the land once the leases expire and grow their agribusiness after taking
learning from the current tenant of the self same land.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Most
agricultural advisers see this anomaly, and have suggested that they get
involved in the projects currently in existence. It is very important that we understand,
that the land lies fallow because the owner is otherwise engaged in a career however
the interpretation of the law precludes him from renting out the land either, due
to the fear that it could be taken over.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In conclusion, we
must enact legislation without delay to preserve the ownership rights of property
and permit renting out of land for a fair rate that provides the high risk farmer
a certain level of knowledge that he can farm the land for the term of the lease
without any encumbrances other than simply making the annual payment in advance.
In this system all stakeholders will be empowered to make a difference by using
their land wisely to maximize the productivity and benefit the nation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I believe too few
people understand the potential of this land, because we are still stuck in the
18<sup>th</sup> century as far as agricultural practices are concerned and must
take a few leaps of centuries to get to the current date and implement practices
adopted now. What is worse a lot of emphasis is on going back to past to copy from
what was done then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Once must learn from
the past so the same mistakes are not made by a new generation and adopt the relevant
practices for the present.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The whole of the
Gampaha district is becoming a place littered with single family dwellings on one
level, some with large plots others with just enough room for a home, and many in
between. Of course the in between ones appear to use the land area for growing food
to feed the family, whilst the larger plots are generally under utilized as it requires
a large labor input if it were to be cultivated intensely. They nevertheless have
an assortment of trees that produce different fruit depending on the seasons for
personal consumption, surrounded by the fields I referred to which are not economical
for the owners to attempt to cultivate and which they dare not give to another farmer
to work on for fear of not being able to recover the land.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin-left: .75in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So I believe the
law must be clear, and one should not have to go to court to retrieve the land once
the lease expires and must automatically revert to the owner unless there is a new
lease agreement from scratch as a new rental that is agreeable to both parties.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-75267488758080621342012-05-27T07:57:00.000-07:002012-05-27T07:57:07.838-07:00The guaranteed price – Is it a win win situation for both parties?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSU2Qr1AAihjLvAM5mY7N6fe6UZdVeNkYnbO4KG3HrWCXh8-UW8ywsMpLe8PHDxSRUHdyIVca8Q_PUd6xSSJdVr7Cu9RChLhqkgQkEn5dJz7KqwTXk6y1J310IvfJ9IBopSObbKL32ZE/s1600/CIMG9944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSU2Qr1AAihjLvAM5mY7N6fe6UZdVeNkYnbO4KG3HrWCXh8-UW8ywsMpLe8PHDxSRUHdyIVca8Q_PUd6xSSJdVr7Cu9RChLhqkgQkEn5dJz7KqwTXk6y1J310IvfJ9IBopSObbKL32ZE/s320/CIMG9944.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In my blog entry yesterday I reported on how once
farmers were given a guaranteed price for their produce, in this case corn of
Rs35/kg they were able to produce a bumper crop, which for the first time made
Sri Lanka a net exporter of corn. If this is a real life example then we must
adopt it for other crops, especially if we can guarantee export at a quality
and price the importer in the foreign country wants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It is worth remembering that if the price in the local
marketplace was higher than Rs35/kg, I wonder if our farmers would stick to the
agreement or try and sell their produce elsewhere! Either way, it is a start
and has proven to work and the farmer who grew this crop definitely wins hands
down over the farmers who planted paddy.</span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">It is also worth remembering that the
fertilizer subsidy extends to all crops now and so the urea used by the corn
farmers now costs Rs1000 a 50kg bag as opposed to the Rs4000 which is the world
market price at which the government buys it to sell to these farmers. I would
dearly like to know what the average use of urea was per 1000kg of corn. If it
was two bags then this extra cost of Rs6000 must be added to costs to determine
if the nation as a whole benefits as the 35,000 per effectively incurs an
export levy of Rs6000 a tone. As today’s spot price in NY is Rs 33,000 for
corn, then one wonders how beneficial it really is! We are effectively giving
the exporter a subsidy of that amount. The flip side of this is would the
farmer have grown this product if he had to pay full price for the Urea, an
essential component input in the growth of corn as a little is put into each
planting hole at planting to maximize weight and plant growth?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So, on the same vein if paddy farmers are guaranteed
Rs35/kg for a quality paddy that will be used for export, then we again must
take into consideration the fertilizer subsidy when counting the cost of
export. In this case the per ton subsidy is greater as the fertilizer subsidy
for rice is much greater as the same bag is sold for Rs350 to the paddy farmer and
not Rs1000 as sold to the corn farmer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">When the Rs50B subsidy for fertilizer per annum is
accounted for I wonder whether our calculations of the success are true!! It is
something for the policy planners to think about when making rash statements of
the success of this type of export. What if this subsidy is removed? Will the
net benefit to the economy be plus? Only good paddy land will be cultivated and
the surplus will not arise, and possibly give rise to shortages and price
rises. Another interesting possibility for consideration. I really wonder if
this sort of analysis is undertaken by the planners in making important
decisions that affect the lives of ordinary people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-9493087060800691992012-05-26T05:54:00.000-07:002012-05-26T05:54:09.768-07:00Exporting Corn to Taiwan and Canada! The sweet smell of success<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheD01k0RKjzhp9FepuIBZmt7MxL580LU0rvqR6oJdOZYcSfexa05HkIAlAoKpllXqXqskq_4bv1JnEqwV3afZTVDzvCOxIuSPJ7dkGMfrkQsTedXjm5bdoZeI4EnvLSwglQjqxiGBsgvo/s1600/maize.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheD01k0RKjzhp9FepuIBZmt7MxL580LU0rvqR6oJdOZYcSfexa05HkIAlAoKpllXqXqskq_4bv1JnEqwV3afZTVDzvCOxIuSPJ7dkGMfrkQsTedXjm5bdoZeI4EnvLSwglQjqxiGBsgvo/s320/maize.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I must confess that I am pleasantly and unbelievably
surprised that after many years of Sri Lanka being a net importer or corn, we
are now a net exporter of this product for the first time. If the government
statistics are to be believed, our annual consumption of corn is 180,000 tonnes
and this year due to a harvest of 200,000 tonnes we have a surplus of 20,000
tonnes for export. That is an extremely creditable achievement which we hope
can be built upon, firt for corn and then for other products. I Understand that Wyamba Traders have entered into forward purchasing agreements with up to 2200 farmers in Anuradhapura District at Rs35 a kg for the maize/corn which takes 75 days from planting seeds to harvest and this has helped the farmers earn a reasonable return as compared with paddy cultivation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I have grown corn myself and know if it is grown in
large quantities one can use many labor saving tools to harvest and separate
the corn from the cob, which is obviously the reason for this success. Most of
the corn we produce goes for animal feed, and in the past we imported this to make
the animal feed. There is no doubt that we have used high yielding varieties of
seeds bought at high cost, from international suppliers who amy also have used
GM seeds, though our seed control people are blissfully unaware that we are
unable to market GM produce in the Island!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Nevertheless credit must be given to the farmers for
producing corn in abundance so that we have sufficient for export too. I hope
we do not see a day when we import this commodity if we have ideal soil and
growing conditions to grow it at a cost that is lower enough where we can
compete in the world market with other suppliers. I am at a loss to know why we
are sending corn to Canada, surely a very high producer of the item! I guess
there is a reason for that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">On a related issue I am currently not in the loop on
the price of corn in the market. All I know is that egg producers are losing
money hand over fist with the drop in egg prices to Rs6 wholesale which would
be the price the producers receive no matter what we pay at the store! If the
feed cost including corn is so high, I do not know how they can sustain
purchasing this product, and if they cull their flocks due to the losses, then
the demand for corn would drop further.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; tab-stops: 130.1pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">This success in our agricultural products could be a
fore runner of more marginal land going from paddy cultivation to growing corn
as the latter does not require that much water and in the Yala season a perfect
intercrop to complement paddy, and once harvested the spent trees can be
ploughed back into the soil to improve the humus content of the soil as well
the natural nitrogen content. I have fed the newly harvested plants to my cows
as animal feed also so I am sure with some ingenuity many uses can be found to
enrich the soil of paddy fields with this crop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-27878831539257886362012-04-29T02:44:00.000-07:002012-04-29T02:44:53.326-07:00Divi Vinashaya – why there has been no plan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9a5WlKHLDDqMQo6QqO_zBuGROpuq_WzD0ImCIEsqYd1cszQnP-OqPZxyKYhSCMQdppgctF94jGcZxif5_WAn2gvh70ogsxFpb-yP8T71EdpkT2e9O0f6OnhmmtaVUKaEK7gv29pvd8A/s1600/FILE418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt9a5WlKHLDDqMQo6QqO_zBuGROpuq_WzD0ImCIEsqYd1cszQnP-OqPZxyKYhSCMQdppgctF94jGcZxif5_WAn2gvh70ogsxFpb-yP8T71EdpkT2e9O0f6OnhmmtaVUKaEK7gv29pvd8A/s320/FILE418.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 19px;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">I
was asked why I was so harsh on the Divi Neguma program. It is simple. It was
designed by fools who can’t think beyond their noses. They have fooled everyone
for what? Let us just take an example of the two aspects of farming. One by
those engaged in it for a living, the GOVIYA! And the other the kitchen garden.
The latter is only encouraged to grow, for improving the diet at home, by
eating healthy fruit and vegetables and having a surplus to exchange with
neighbors, take to relatives, or sell in the local pola or to local kades, to
supplement income.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">One
example of how we must get rid of the surplus. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Since
the end of the war the North has opened up to agriculture. Farmers there appear
to be more efficient in their production techniques and are giving a run to the
Nuwera Eliya farmers as they are competing to produce up country vegetables.
Then they are giving a run for the red onion farmers in the East, as they can
also produce this, thus reducing the price from the Rs200s per kg to single
figures. The produce from the North coming to the Dambulla Economic Zone, has
reduced the vegetable prices significantly putting a lot of farmers in the
South who were less efficient out of business permanently. They cannot compete
with more productive, and efficient producers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Sri
Lanka must make an arrangement with the Maldives to fly produce from Jaffna
airport to the South Atoll and then to resorts closer to them. The exporters in
Colombo currently find a big problem in supplying the orders for their Maldives
customers, so it would be a method of directly supplying fresh produce from the
North to them, and reduce some of the bottlenecks in bringing it to Dambulla. </span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">The
Government should engage in this if it is to find solutions to these problems.
They are simply unable to think outside the box and so get into a situation,
where they have encouraged people to produce with no means of marketing the
produce. In the end the relationship must be a direct one with the farmer and
the exporter, who will produce to order, knowing that prices and quantities are
guaranteed. The farmer at the same time MUST understand that in order to get a
guaranteed price, when there are shortages, and the prices in the market exceed
the guaranteed price, he must fulfill his commitment to the exporter, who has
stood by him, rather than sneaking out the produce to the local market for
higher prices.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">The
surpluses created could just as soon DRY UP and become shortages. The Govt.
will be to blame. They have not been able to find suitable markets, and in the
meantime the farmer has gone belly up leaving it to the survivors to prosper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">There is very little information on the plight of the farmer in the Press, as it is a topic that very few reporters understand. We are creating a very hard working underclass that are misled by this government as regards to their entitlements, without adequate explanation as to what we wish from them and the promises made to them. We have therefore let the farmer down, by lying to him and taking advantage of him.</span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;">Only time will be a luxury to show the error of the present direction and the need for an equitable solution</span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-54097967618979121972012-04-28T19:47:00.000-07:002012-04-28T19:47:02.367-07:00Divi Neguma has turned into Divi Basuma – do not screw the farmers more!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdATZfWo-36rpAEaBtJ5a_PiGQAsagb1ExBQGJdTzy0tvsTyq16GOjfeaXNHft0dwsF-BsyU4j09ARaSMIHZuniAhOasV9c2aFSbU_UGa_i6AeVb3HNeFZf4ebj7jCPs63M7k-TJRqRco/s1600/DSC00365.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdATZfWo-36rpAEaBtJ5a_PiGQAsagb1ExBQGJdTzy0tvsTyq16GOjfeaXNHft0dwsF-BsyU4j09ARaSMIHZuniAhOasV9c2aFSbU_UGa_i6AeVb3HNeFZf4ebj7jCPs63M7k-TJRqRco/s320/DSC00365.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I
have maintained that there is no one in the policy making bodies who understands
farming and its practices and practicalities. Bureaucrats and Ministers who own
land, farmed by others think they know what the real problems are. This is not
like running a plantation, this is a hand to mouth existence and lying to them
merely makes the liar a hypocrite also. This is a serious problem not to be
taken lightly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">So
it was with interest that I read about Basil Rakapakse meeting with
Agribusiness Leaders (minor industrialists) about how they should use the raw
materials from the success of the Divi Neguma program that has provided huge
surpluses of food and turn that into export products or other forms such as
preservation, canning and such like. It goes to show his lack of knowledge of
how the inputs into Agribusinesses are collected.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">To
those not in the loop, the Divi Neguma program attempts, though not at all
successfully as I have pointed out in earlier entries here, to help each
household, produce healthy food, in the way of a home based activity, both for
consumption, and the surplus to sell, and to provide unneeded expenses, such as
Dimo Battas to take this business a stage further by using that means to market
their products or other similar products from their fellow brethren in the
village.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I
am not repeating the scandal of the Dimo Batta here, with these poor folk being
forced to pay Rs30K a month just as the lease payment for 56 months, but to
show that impractical ideas are put into people who first need a basic
understanding of how to engage in an economic activity.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Agribusiness leaders know, that in order to run their operation, they need a
supply of raw material close to their factories and at a reasonable cost. Small
economic units are very inefficient in this. That is why there is no practical
solution for the desperate need of pol-katu,(coconut shell) to be taken from
each household say once a month to the company that needs the raw material in
bulk to make charcoal. Forget Divi Neguma, it is the Farmer who you should
engage in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: #F6F6F6; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">The
same principal applies here. Then we have the farmer who really needs to engage
in a relationship with the processor in order to find a market for his produce.
At present he is losing heavily by not covering his cost in income he receives
from the wholesalers for his produce, due to the oversupply by the Divi Neguma
lot, which has decimated the prices of most everything the farmer currently
plants except for “TOBACCO”. SO PLEASE first decide on policy that is HOLISTIC!
and not ad hoc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-45672785418780979892012-04-19T09:33:00.003-07:002012-04-19T09:38:30.098-07:00Tackling agricultural surpluses – a new dynamic!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAff5ypy7pjTtsqxAuGYkYy0C8Wj_nTtAwja-6Z4N-20gkZNp1S4HEQ-HxRV2jJJIYJZMvqMpx0bhSnN3z_MTpm2p5htwKRl8UHu_dmVdLM5xlc1rar93N1uweRV0HRzKtE_OVto-li4Y/s1600/DSC00546.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAff5ypy7pjTtsqxAuGYkYy0C8Wj_nTtAwja-6Z4N-20gkZNp1S4HEQ-HxRV2jJJIYJZMvqMpx0bhSnN3z_MTpm2p5htwKRl8UHu_dmVdLM5xlc1rar93N1uweRV0HRzKtE_OVto-li4Y/s400/DSC00546.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733151611561824242" /></a><br /><p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">I was taken to task by a one advocating export of surpluses by my criticism in yesterday’s blog entry about the efforts of the agricultural department to export varieties of rice. I know I was rather harsh on the Secretary to the Ministry, who in the past would have initiated a common sense approach, but in the current heavily politicized climate, is just doing the bidding of his Minister, even though he may vehemently disagree with him.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">That took me back to 1950 when CP de Silva who was in the Ceylon Civil Service, and was working in the Land Development Department (historians please correct me on some of these facts) had a disagreement with his Minister Mr Dudley Senanayake who was the Minister of Agriculture under the DS Senanayake administration and promptly resigned from the Civil Service, when he could have just requested and got a transfer to another department under a different Minister.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Just for the record DS tried to persuade him to withdraw his resignation, but he refused, and left on the second anniversary of independence. He bought a 50 acre plot of land in Tabbowa in the Puttalam District where he had served many years ago and began a simple life of a farmer, when in 1952, SWRD himself personally turned up into his shed like cabin, and persuaded CP to join him in Politics. CP went on to win the Polonnaruwa seat in the 1952 election which UNP won with Dudley. It is also worth noting that Dudley asked CP to be the Prime Minister when he won the 1965 election, so even disagreements do not make enemies!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">I am sorry I digressed completely from my point, which is to illustrate that I am not anti export of agriculture. In fact I am a proponent of export of our produce. It is the cynical way those who do not understand the topic go about it that angers me.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">There is a huge export market for our produce, fruit, vegetables, and rice. I know vegetable and fruit exporters, whose daily grouse is that they do not have SUFFICIENT QUANTITY of standard quality products to meet the demand. We do not have enough large scale producers who will use the latest techniques to get productivity and consistency to supply the export market. The Govt, is giving incentives to foreigners, by leasing them large tracts of land for projects (they sold Polonnaruwa farm of 2000 acres a few months ago to an Israeli company, to bring in cows to produce milk.)<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">A person in SL with 50 acres is considered big. The average peasant cultivator only works about 1 hectare(2.5 acres) as a maximum. Given this reality, we cannot cater to all comers and try to save the smallest farmer from going under as well. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In my previous entry, I recommended a guaranteed minimum price for export quality crops, of the varieties required for export, of Rs50/kg as a way to go. The reality is that the efficient farmers anywhere in the country, will work productively to produce that quality, and make a lot of money, however the small farmer who we are targeting to help will only marginally benefit. That is the nub of the prob!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">This comes back to the point of productivity and economies of scale in agricultural production. The govt. must have a policy on how each segment is treated, incentivized and compensated. Agriculture being a high risk venture requires high reward to encourage private sector investment. Land is the scarce resource for the large scale investor who does not want to tie up large amounts on buying up land. So leasing large tracts to the private sector is a way to go to solve some of the pressing problems, but with it one has the costs attached to it, of local people working for a wage, who have had to give up farming due to their inefficiencies. Intensive mechanization, so that few benefits accrue to local villages, with most of the profits going to the providers of capital who live elsewhere and overseas can result. No wonder the JVP views on equality hold so much sway in the rural areas, but which never gain traction, as they do not have a viable method of getting them out of poverty due to the lack of critical mass in the market to make a difference.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The transfer of the pricing determinant from the Miller, the wholesaler and intermediary to the grower, is what economists the whole world over are even now grappling with without answers, leaving agriculture to Market supply and demand dynamic that is only in the farmers’ favor when shortages are in the horizon. The farmer must be equipped with the tools to understand this complicated risk and to mitigate it in his favor. The answer we can give each farmer heavily depends on his or her personal circumstances, there being no cookie cutter formula that applies to all, to resolve individual differences in this sector.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Anyone who comes with a satisfactory solution will be the farmers’ savior. So let’s begin by challenging the price fixer to increase commodity prices. The productive producer has an incentive to grow. The smaller producer is encouraged to get to that level of productivity or perish. There is no point designing a system to help the marginal producer, which only helps the big boys, as the butter, milk and beef mountains of Europe have shown as clear examples of policies gone wrong. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">I was only yesterday asked to start by accumulating a cash reserve, purchasing quality paddy at a higher price, and converting to rice and selling, forcing the Millers to raise the price they offer, thereby being able to take credit for the act!!! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">I have to restrict my purchases to only buying from a pre-agreed list of people who are those that are dependent only on paddy farming, and farm less than a hectare each. I offer a price higher than that the Govt. say Rs30 but conditions have to be met. Cash on the table when the product is supplied. The model is similar to that which Food City currently use with its farmers and the product they purchase from them. However if they offer more than the State for the paddy, will the big Millers really raise the price they offer as they are the oligopolist price fixer? <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The answer is NO. They know there are enough farmers who can supply, and even if I offer a high price, I can only buy so much, my economies of scale are much less, and my distribution costs also are higher, resulting in much smaller margins to my enterprise that will not sustain me for long enough to be a threat in the long term. Even the Govt. dare not take on this role of competing with the Miller on price as even they know from past experience they end up holding stock of paddy that just rots. The intricacies of Govt. inefficiencies and greasing of palms that compromise the quality of the paddy that is bought and all the good intentions of helping the farmer and the consumer both at the same time is just a costly exercise of losses to the state enterprise that engages in this.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The alternative I fear is that we will see many small farmers going out of cultivation, and the threats of the Govt. forcing them to cultivate will create tensions that boil over into a full scale agitation. This is a distinct possibility if sufficient people are badly affected.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Do we then go for the other option of increasing the price level of the commodity, by removing the surplus from the market place? We would otherwise not be able to keep the price high if there is leakage at lower prices. The big Miller’s profits will rise still further giving him unassailable clout to market manipulate even further, by forcing a temporary rise in prices, to suck up the supply and then dump the farmers by lowering the asking price later, when there is no one else to help them.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">As one can see a proper management of the surplus to achieve macroeconomic goals of price stability and the survival of small farmers is a very tricky one. They are two issues and cannot be combined. Export markets are the only solution to surpluses so they do not either waste produce or have an overhang which will lead to price instability, that may wipe out an entire sector. The protection of the small farmer is an entirely different issue as his survival depends on productivity and efficient and productive units. For that the marginal farmer will have to disappear, replaced by a professional farmer from the ranks of the educated youth, who will be able to manage an economically feasible lot profitably in the long term. <o:p></o:p></span></p><br /><br /><br /><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVf3e7xWvmqepd8ywcdzMJHpSKp602fcYJ4XUNEb-YS4kBSLx8CrFFJS2tjV4T2MDpjalPwcqX9lqU44FsP5ePft9_1-XLMnXCpbkbnB-rSvDA19I_H8PniH1qd9Tlq_tiUhx4NI2ZWc/s400/DSC00548.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5733151041363930626" /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com227tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-47576792486148070952012-04-18T09:37:00.003-07:002012-04-18T09:43:57.073-07:00The latest insult to Lanka’s paddy farmers – export of rice<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBzzTmUigGU5Wq7n5ukZ52B39rMArsaqWfCeIq269eVLp0S68ewNC9MH49WqXukD9I2Qh-xb5oEf3DKXUXx40YBTfBxqcwqKbFKswyzG6ywS5UTkWC9lnjzFrvk-b-duDLBcKhP-yjYQ/s1600/CIMG9133.JPG" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDBzzTmUigGU5Wq7n5ukZ52B39rMArsaqWfCeIq269eVLp0S68ewNC9MH49WqXukD9I2Qh-xb5oEf3DKXUXx40YBTfBxqcwqKbFKswyzG6ywS5UTkWC9lnjzFrvk-b-duDLBcKhP-yjYQ/s400/CIMG9133.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732781326350360546" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid16t0fCIxtKnA20KlXnE3M1iamnzM7Wx3rxX_-5tz-4t3SD4jAyGxuPfF7mwPE2a4_H57KVkH3qmCOiqGCVvWdcY0jdDN5DZ_WAUpKyzylLWMEJj6qY36BIQJzCUX43liFiEyenldF0s/s1600/CIMG9130.JPG" style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid16t0fCIxtKnA20KlXnE3M1iamnzM7Wx3rxX_-5tz-4t3SD4jAyGxuPfF7mwPE2a4_H57KVkH3qmCOiqGCVvWdcY0jdDN5DZ_WAUpKyzylLWMEJj6qY36BIQJzCUX43liFiEyenldF0s/s400/CIMG9130.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732781217611826354" /></a><br /><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; "><br /></div><div><p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">It was reported a short while ago today, April 18<sup>th</sup> 2012, that the Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, KA Sakalasooriya, has announced the creation of four zones for export. One in each of Mannar for growth of Keeri Samba, Hambantota for growing red rice, (presumably long grain) and Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura for growing BG 357 a variety of white rice. It was further announced that in the next Yala season this paddy would be purchased at Rs40/kg.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Why is this announcement insulting? He has no clue about rice farming, about yields on different soil and growing conditions, and on different varieties of paddy. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">I have planted 6 varieties of paddy, and I have personally sold door to door, 14 varieties of rice arising from this paddy. I have also grown keeri samba a particularly fine grained white rice. Its yield is usually a lot less than other varieties and I have sold the rice for around Rs100/kg which is about what the price is for the par boiled variety even now. I like to say they look like ‘podi muthu ata’<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Rs 40/kg is not enough to compensate for the lower yields. At this price I can buy the paddy, and mill it and sell it at Rs80/kg and still make a profit of Rs10/kg, after taking account of transport. A large miller will make a profit of Rs20/kg as he has other cost savings that I do not have as I pay a small miller to do so. Further I wish to reiterate that I grew Red basmati as an outgrower for CIC and lost a lot of money. I was promised Rs 42/kg for paddy, for rice they sell at over Rs150/kg.So I do not trust these statements.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">I really suspect that if farmers produce paddy at this price for the quality that is required for export, it is the Miller who will make the profit again, as he has the market sown up, and all the Government is doing by making this promise is doing the bidding of the Millers who have given the Govt. an undertaking to buy this paddy at this price, something they cannot do at the moment, due to the lack of sufficient quantity of paddy of these varieties to meet export orders.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">I trust the reader can understand where I am getting at with this argument. The Miller has seen a greater opportunity using the auspices of the Govt. to try an ensure sufficient quantity of product to meet their market. So they can increase the profit they make. I ask him to pass on the commission he makes on this to the farmer by offering the paddy farmer at least Rs50/kg for the paddy of these varieties to ensure sufficient supply. There is NO way farmers will fall for the Govt. ruse in sufficient quantity for export to ensure viability in economies of scale. SAKALA go back to your drawing board please and TRY AGAIN<o:p></o:p></span></p><p style="text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); "><span >A Govt. that presents itself as the friend of the farmer has been the one that has ruined farmers forever by their lack of a comprehensive agricultural policy. Due to their expert media effort at fooling the Agricultural community, they have successfully hidden their deception from the public, and I am attempting by using actual real world examples to show that they have no idea of what they are doing. The farmer is being crucified by this government and the farmer seems to be going to his </span><span ><span style="font-size: 19px;">crucifixion</span></span><span > like a lamb to slaughter, what a sad sad reality!!!</span></p></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-9877097007585282222012-04-17T05:23:00.002-07:002012-04-17T05:27:50.314-07:00I am enraged at the comments of the Secretary to the Provincial Agricultural Ministry of the Wyamba Province.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6a6yzyA9zV4sIKs5MW18GjuiX8IWqmZeKA98McLFxG8stcRai8vVcgCYnYVRYXs9LzKSzM9_Zic7Nbl6IZh_dLfV3WmmEOHnJ_WJnPsZn8Dpw41T0J3ww7JIM47GBp4XKYulCNurm2w/s1600/DSC00362.JPG" style="font-size: 100%; "><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6a6yzyA9zV4sIKs5MW18GjuiX8IWqmZeKA98McLFxG8stcRai8vVcgCYnYVRYXs9LzKSzM9_Zic7Nbl6IZh_dLfV3WmmEOHnJ_WJnPsZn8Dpw41T0J3ww7JIM47GBp4XKYulCNurm2w/s400/DSC00362.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732344989657439074" /></a><br /><div style="font-size: 100%; "><span style="text-align: justify; font-size: 14pt; ">In today’s (April 17<sup>th</sup> 2012) Daily News, Mr MABD Bandaranayake, Sec to the Provincial Agriculture Ministry of Wyamba told farmers who were struggling to get a price for their produce, who were contemplating changing to Tobacco cultivation, and I quote, </span><b style="text-align: justify; font-size: 100%; "><i>“Farmers will not get the fertilizer subsidy provided to them by the government, if they start tobacco cultivation. Farmers should identify the demand at the market and plan their cultivation"</i></b></div><div> <p style="font-size: 100%; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">How out of touch with reality is he? Does he not know that farmers always try to identify demand and plan cultivation of vegetables, and when the product comes to the market they discover that the price they were led to believe they will get in fact has dropped drastically.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-size: 100%; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Tobacco Company has a very sophisticated system of outgrowers that the Agricultural Department would do well in emulating. Instead of blaming the farmer, see how his lot can be improved by the examples of success stories in practice. I have pointed this out in my earlier blogs too. They help the farmer all the way from seed to harvest and to top it all they guarantee the price for the quality they expect. It is important to a farmer that his risk factors are minimized.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-size: 100%; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">I am physically unable to be at my fields this season due to my disability. I have rented my land to a farmer. He will plant tobacco as he has calculated that given the circumstances it is the best bet for him. Farmers are NOT irrational people,, they make decisions based on inadequate information, and training, which turn out to be wrong later. This is a perennial problem that has not been solved YET.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-size: 100%; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Frankly the fertilizer subsidy is a red herring and irrelevant. In fact it is counter productive to farmers as they make incorrect decisions due to this interference in the market dynamics. The Govt. has got all its calculations wrong. The whole Divi Neguma process, is about increasing self reliance, which then reduces demand of the farmers, leading to the farmer to lose money as the govt. HAS NOT found an alternative market for the excess supply, such as overseas.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-size: 100%; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The Divi Neguma program is going to devastate the farmers, in a way one cannot even imagine. The need of the hour is to immediately find an outlet overseas for the surplus, as a small surplus wipes out the price of produce.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="font-size: 100%; text-align: justify; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: rgb(246, 246, 246); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Today, I have organically grown Okra and Pathola, and as I am only a small producer I have no market for it! There is no point in growing this or anything else.</span></p></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1c7hlxUS34Q60po7xNx0qzUh4Jp7mi7GAhdsLeY2b6s7SaAHIgPp28kwy2804I9vsusdMmlhTwyVa7xXkWNimQYiPHJXZTPOcWwX0Is5NRcOtjkE7Yjl64IfyqYt3c55paKN8e0kQgY/s1600/DSC00359.JPG" style="font-size: 100%; "><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb1c7hlxUS34Q60po7xNx0qzUh4Jp7mi7GAhdsLeY2b6s7SaAHIgPp28kwy2804I9vsusdMmlhTwyVa7xXkWNimQYiPHJXZTPOcWwX0Is5NRcOtjkE7Yjl64IfyqYt3c55paKN8e0kQgY/s400/DSC00359.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5732344812184880018" /></a>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com88tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-216971465110756063.post-69623505976135531332012-04-16T06:18:00.001-07:002012-04-16T06:21:45.387-07:00The Rice Farmer – it is not an option anymore!!! if that is all you are<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5LiCmp7laGzl8b6tlfGVLSzYznnj6G3tzwFWxgCBWHStRSfxp-Lq2U6CGOZFeIpLDs1hIB7xqUMstIOal5Tv_9BNzWaHkeMzNf_E7zPUb9TTWxrufrU52eNPPIApmvKsFl03pvauZHY/s1600/Farmers.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD5LiCmp7laGzl8b6tlfGVLSzYznnj6G3tzwFWxgCBWHStRSfxp-Lq2U6CGOZFeIpLDs1hIB7xqUMstIOal5Tv_9BNzWaHkeMzNf_E7zPUb9TTWxrufrU52eNPPIApmvKsFl03pvauZHY/s400/Farmers.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731987665947064306" /></a><br /><div><br /></div><div><p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">There is no profit in growing paddy on an acreage that is less than 5 acres which comprise, 70% of the paddy land grown today. So REMEMBER the rice we eat is grown by people making a sacrifice!!! For no gain, not even enough to pay for a daily wage of Rs200. So what does the future hold?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">I spent the best part of today, going through a file of Newspaper clippings of the farmers’ plight throughout the land this year, on not obtaining a fair price for their produce, with various calculations about the cost of production. It also shows in contrast, the costs rising steeply since 2005, whilst the guaranteed price from the state has not changed in this same period. They are clamoring for the Govt. to raise the minimum price to Rs40. The reality is at that price are we asking the state to suffer a loss on account of the farmer. The market price WILL NOT rise if the Govt. raises its price due to the surplus and due to people prepared to undercut as the state is unable to absorb all the surplus at that price, let alone even at the current price, where the state only purchases less than 10% of the harvest.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">It is moot about the guaranteed price as in this season due to the surplus, most farmers had to dispose of their harvest at a lot less than this price. I am a paddy farmer so I know the pros and cons. And I also know that I have bought paddy a few years ago when we had a shortage, at prices at least 50% above the guaranteed price. So then it was viable at that price, and then we treated the guaranteed price as a floor or safety valve, where if the market price is higher, no farmer worth his marbles will sell to the state!!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The reality, in a period of shortage, farmers will not complain about price, in a period of surplus prices are rock bottom. Costs in the meantime continue to escalate. Is it any wonder if they just stop farming? The clamor for the state to pay Rs40 is because the relative cost increase and when compared with other costs, the price of rice is too low. A kg of paddy commands the same price as a bulath vita they say, when in few years ago you could buy 4 bulath vita with it!! In addition if one says the Govt. cannot spend money buying the paddy at higher prices, then the argument is that the Govt. is wasting huge sums on wasted PR exercises such as Dayata Kirula for personal glory of the administration at the expense of the people.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">If one takes the example of Japan, the price of rice in Japan is about 5 times the world market price, as the Govt. has made a policy decision to assist the small rice farmer in Japan who farms small plots to stay in business by guaranteeing a price and holding this price at retail level, charging a very high tax on imports. Unlike Japan, where less than 4% are farmers, we in Sri Lanka are an agricultural nation still, and to improve productivity before we save all the marginal farmers from extinction, we have to determine what the policy should be.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Should we encourage larger lost sizes, as it is inevitable, when fewer people go into farming? I believe YES. We must change the land holding laws, and stop distributing land to landless people, except a max of 8 perches for a home. We MUST encourage professional farmers using latest technology to maximize yields. The small uneconomical farmer will disappear and will find alternative employment where they WILL BE better off. Until yields improve we will see this cry for a better price.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">Yes it is true that in relative terms the price of rice has fallen substantially, and it should realistically be 50% higher. The Govt. does not intend to pass this on to the consumer as they are acutely aware of the other price increases the consumer has had to bear today, and adding rice to this will further turn them to bread, a lose lose alternative in a period of surplus.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">The current argument goes that a family meal with a KG of rice will cost Rs60 and three loaves of bread the substitute will be Rs165, so it is fair to increase this to say Rs80, so both producer and consumer can be in balance!!!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">If the price increases to Rs40 for paddy, it must also be remembered that the efficient producers of paddy will increase production. It called profit motive, and so the surplus will grow not fall. The hard decision whether to let the marginal fail is the political hot potato!!! <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">My contention is that we have skewed data of who this marginal population is. I do not believe anyone can survive on one and a half acres of paddy, let alone bring up a family of 4. So even today those who call for an increase only rely on paddy for less than 30% of income except for a small minority who we should identify and assist by other means.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p style="text-align:justify;background:#F6F6F6"><span style="font-size:14.0pt">In either scenario, before any of these are even contemplated, there HAS to be better storage facilities which I do believe the Mill owners will relish as they will obviously believe they will be the biggest beneficiaries of Govt. storage investment. After all it is they who will buy the shipments of paddy from this storage to run their mills with!!! However there has got to be safe storage for the additional paddy both for a reserve buffer stock, and to suck up the excess from the market, preventing a drop in the price of paddy and therefore rice. It is important that all these factors are taken into account for the farmer requests to be practical.</span></p></div>Rajarataralahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12458863668453807819noreply@blogger.com3