Urea Shortage Prompts Rationing and Special Distribution for Yala Paddy Cultivation

Sri Lanka is experiencing a significant urea fertilizer shortage ahead of the Yala season, primarily due to Middle East regional instability causing disruptions in imports and attempts at hoarding. With just over 100,000 tonnes of urea available by early March, barely sufficient for paddy cultivation, the Agrarian Development Department has decided to release existing stocks exclusively for paddy. Distribution will occur through government Agrarian Service Centers, with quantities allocated based on cultivated land. To ensure timely access, Commissioner General Dhammika Ranatunga announced that these centers will operate on holidays and weekends in areas where paddy cultivation has commenced, aiming to mitigate threats to paddy yields and national food security.