Media reports out of Sri Lanka reported that samples of organic fertilizer ordered by the Sri Lankan government from China contain the harmful Erwinia pathogen.
Scientists in Sri Lanka told the Indo-Asian News Service that the pathogen affects root crops and could continue its impact even after harvesting.
Samples of the fertilizer were sent to Sri Lanka for testing. That is when the pathogen was discovered.
Earlier this year the Sri Lankan President issued an order that banned chemical fertilizers in favor of only organic fertilizers. The country signed a contract with China’s Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co. Ltd. to provide 99,000 mt of organic fertilizer at a cost of US$63 million.
The Chairman of the Sri Lankan National Agronomy Unity criticized the government move, saying none of the usual safety procedures were followed, including the lack of a safety certificate for the fertilizer. The organization had earlier warned that organic fertilizer, if imported from China, could cause more damage to Sri Lankan agriculture than traditional fertilizers.
Opposition parties also jumped on the discovery. The Marxist People’s Liberation Front said awarding China the contract was a mistake. The party leader said all that would happen was that Sri Lanka would receive China’s urban waste at the expense of Sri Lankan farmers.