The yield of green tea leaves in Sri Lanka is declining rapidly due to a shortage of quality chemical fertilisers and delays in delivery, threatening the livelihoods of small tea estate owners.
Kasun Tharanga, Secretary of the All-Ceylon Licensed Green Tea Collectors’ Association, said small tea estate owners operating across the Galle District and six other regions are facing difficulties caused by both falling green tea prices and reduced yields.
Currently, 1 kg of raw tea leaves is being purchased for less than Rs. 200 in Galle and Matara, a price insufficient to maintain estates and generate profit.
Meanwhile, the cost of chemical fertilisers continues to rise, with T-750 fertiliser priced at Rs. 8,750 per bag, U.T. 1240 at Rs. 9,000, and U.T. 834, used to boost yield, at Rs. 10,000.
Tharanga noted that many small tea estate owners cannot afford to apply fertilisers in the required quantities, and delays in fertiliser deliveries exacerbate the problem, leading to a sharp decline in green tea harvests.
He urged the President, the Government, and the Minister of Plantation Affairs to urgently investigate and resolve the fertiliser supply issues to safeguard the future of small tea estate owners in Sri Lanka.
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