Director General of Agriculture Dr. Ajantha De Silva said that the planned import of Chinese organic fertilizer would be halted.
This is due to the presence of harmful bacteria in the samples that were tested.
The samples received last Friday were tested by the Plant Quarantine Service and confirmed the presence of harmful bacteria, for the second time.
The Government decided to award the tender to provide organic fertilizer to Sri Lanka to China’s Qindao Seawin Biotech firm.
The Chinese company produces organic fertilizer using sea weed. The first sample test revealed the presence of a harmful bacteria called Arvenia. However, Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage stated that there is a doubt regarding how the samples reached Sri Lanka.
The second sample test was done due to this concern, and it confirmed the presence of harmful bacteria.
(Mirror)