Sri Lanka’s Department of Agriculture has recommended the use of single super-phosphate (SSP) by using Eppawala Rock Phosphate for paddy cultivation over triple super-phosphate (TSP), in a May 16 meeting at the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industry.
To date, eight private sector manufacturers and two government-owned entities in the island nation produce SSP, which, following government guidance, will be used for rice application during the 2024/25 Maha season (September through March).
Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera asked the National Fertiliser Secretariat and the two state-owned fertilizer companies, Lanka Fertiliser Co. and Commercial Fertiliser Co., to develop an extension and information program to educate farmers on the use of SSP for paddy cultivation.
The Eppawala deposit holds some 60 million mt of phosphate rock and is seen as a promising initiative for the country’s fertilizer sovereignty. Between 2016-2020, Sri Lanka imported on average 70,000 mt/y of TSP, but imports have fallen sharply to under 10,000 mt/y due to lower affordability during the price rally of 2021-2023.