Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Minister K.D. Lal Kantha confirmed Friday that there is no fertilizer shortage for any crops during the ongoing Yala season, citing adequate stocks at Agrarian Service Centres for distribution.

Lal Kantha made the remarks at a special discussion on the fertilizer sector held at the National Agriculture Information and Communication Centre in Gannoruwa. He said the government had decided to resume private-sector fertilizer distribution after a temporary suspension imposed at government request earlier in the cycle.

Cabinet has already approved imports of fertilizer required for the upcoming Maha season, with public and private sectors collaborating on procurement, the minister said. He acknowledged delays in some distribution areas but said a structured programme had been introduced to ensure uninterrupted supply.

Legal action has been initiated against individuals spreading false information about fertilizer availability, Lal Kantha added.

The minister said steps were being taken to promote high-yield, next-generation fertilizers and soil testing-based application as part of a longer-term agricultural input strategy.

The announcement comes amid agricultural input pressures linked to global supply costs. A 25,000 metric tonne urea shipment arriving in early May was expected to lift mid-month stocks to 151,000 MT, against the 125,000 MT requirement for Yala paddy and other crops. Earlier projections had warned of paddy yield drops of up to 20% if shipments arrived late, after global urea prices spiked from $650 to $800 per metric tonne during the Hormuz shipping disruption period.

Yala is the second of Sri Lanka’s two main agricultural seasons, running roughly from May through August. The Maha season, which follows from October, accounts for the larger share of national paddy output.

Lal Kantha repeated the message at a separate event on May 11, telling reporters that supplies were currently flowing through Govi Jana Seva centres and that distribution through private institutions would resume in the days ahead after the brief ministry-requested pause. He warned of legal action against those he said were attempting to manufacture a sense of shortage or to suggest fertiliser had been purchased at inflated prices.

Sources: Ada Derana · Newswire.