Sri Lanka abandons farm chemical ban as organic drive fails Featured

Sri Lanka abandoned its quest to become the world's first completely organic farming nation on Sunday, announcing it would immediately lift an import ban on pesticides and other agricultural inputs.

The island country has been in the grips of a severe economic crisis, with a lack of foreign exchange triggering shortages of food, crude oil and other essential goods.

Authorities had already walked back restrictions on fertilizer imports last month for tea, the country's main export earner.

But ahead of planned farmer protests in the capital, Sri Lanka's agricultural ministry said it would end a broader ban on all agrochemicals, including herbicides and pesticides.

"We will now allow chemical inputs that are urgently needed," ministry secretary Udith Jayasinghe told the private News First TV network.

"Considering the need to ensure food security, we have taken this decision."

Vast tracts of farmland were abandoned after the import ban, first introduced in May.

Shortages have worsened in the past week, with prices for rice, vegetables and other market staples having doubled across Sri Lanka.

Supermarkets have also rationed rice sales, allowing only 5 kilograms (11 pounds) per customer.

Farmers' organizations had planned to march on the national parliament in Colombo on Friday to demand the import of essential chemicals to protect their crops.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had justified the import ban by saying he wanted to make Sri Lankan farming 100% organic.

The policy was introduced after a massive hit to the cash-strapped island's economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with tourism earnings and foreign worker remittances drastically falling.

Authorities attempted to save foreign exchange by last year banning a host of imported goods, including some food and spices.

Sri Lanka also shut its only oil refinery last month after running out of dollars to import crude./agencies

hacklink al dizi film izle film izle yabancı dizi izle fethiye escort bayan escort - vip elit escort erotik film izle hack forum türk ifşa the prepared organik hit erotik film izlemarsbahismobilbahiscasinomaxiاباحيسكسporno izlepornohd porno sexdeneme bonusu veren siteler30 tl bonus veren siteleropenbook market idtipobet girişonwin girişdeneme bonusu veren sitelertarafbetMostbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbetholiganbettarafbettarafbetjojobet girişholiganbetsekabetonwinsahabetgrandpashabetmatadorbetnakitbahisbtinemeritkingdumanbetbetebetbahigoelexbetbetcupvbetmarsbahiscasinolevantBetriyalsahabettarafbettarafbetCasinoplus girişmatbetMatbetdumanbetimajbetmatbetdinamobetdinamobetdeneme bonusu veren sitelerbetewinportobetjojobet mobil girişhiltonbet+18 film izlejojobethdfilmcehenneminicasibom girişPusulabetbetkanyontarafbettarafbetnakitbahistarafbetmatbet giriştarafbetholiganbet girişrulet taktikleriromabetextrabet giriştipobetyalama taşıdeneme bonusu veren sitelertarafbettarafbetmarsbahisDownload IDMmarsbahissetrabetjojobetextrabetbets10 güncelmatadorbetmariobet twitterCasibomjojobettarafbetbetsattarafbettarafbettarafbethermesbetjojobet güncel girişDenizli evden eve nakliyatsazanhdfilm cehennemimeritking 1135casibomjojobetbahiscasinodmanbetmeritkingholiganbetbetistbahiscomBetist girişBetist girişBetist girişBetist girişBetist girişBetistSahabettarafbetMadridbet girişcasibombetebetcasibomcasibom girişmariobetprodaja autacasibom güncel girişmeritking 1136MadridbetMadridbetBettürkeyimajbetmatadorbetbetturkeyultrabetbetebetfixbetextrabet girişsonbahiskadıköy escortTumblr Hesap SatışıbetorspinBuy Weed Online in Canadabodrum escortbetkomMadridbettarafbetTarafbetcasinolevantcasinolevantmarsbahisbetturkeyGrandpashabet casinolevantBetturkeybahiscomcasinolevantcasinolevantmeritkingJojobetJOJOBETelektronik sigaracasibomBetturkeymarsbahis girişsavoybettingsupertotobetcoinbarmrcasinobetsatbetboobettineasyabahistempobetbetmoonodeonbetkalebetngsbahiselexbetbahigobetcupvbetsafirbethiltonbetbahiscomdeneme bonusu veren sitelerdeneme bonusu veren sitelermadridbetMadridbet girişJojobetbetturkeyholiganbet girişmatadorbet girişiptvmarsbahismatbetjojobetholiganbetBets10padişahbetdeneme bonusu veren siteler rehberibetebetvaycasinodumanbetsahabetmatadorbetDeneme Bonususüperbahisgrandpashabet Jojobetmarsbahismeritking güncelgecelikpijama takımıcasibom girişjojobet güncelcasibom girişjojobet giriş günceljojobet giriş günceldeneme bonusuBets10xslotcasibomcasinolevanthiltonbetimaj bet girişzbahislil baby heightAvukat Webholiganbet girişholiganbetRomabet Girişjojobetcasibomcasinolevantbetbababetivosultanbet girişbtcbahiscasinomegabetbaba girişdeneme bonusu veren sitelercasino sitelerimarsbahisfixbetwinpapelmarsbahissetrabetHoliganbetmarsbahis girişmeritking girişmariobetmariobetmeritkingnakitbahisholiganbetgrandpashabetjojobetmeritkingmarsbahissahabetonwinsekabetmatbetimajbetCasino sitelerimarsbahisholiganbettipobetsahabetlunabet güncel girişpusulabet güncel girişsahabet güncel girişonwin güncel girişimajbet güncel girişbettilt güncel girişdinamobet güncel giriştarafbet güncel girişbetkom güncel girişOnwinOnwinOnwinRokubetOnwinRokubetOnwinOnwinkralbetcratosslotdinamobetnakitbahismatbetbetmatikgrandpashabetxslotbahiscom twitterromabetromabetromabetromabetbetkommariobet girişgrandpashabetbetkanyononwinLunabet7slotscasibommarsbahismarsbahisvbetholiganbetşikayet vardeneme bonusu veren sitelerhitbethitbetdumanbetbetciobetciokingbettingsonbahisroyalbetbetticketkingbettingroyalbetbetgarantibetgarantibets10pusulabetholiganbetkralbetbetebetholiganbetmeritkingholiganbetportobetonwinbetpersekabetmatbetimajbetmarsbahissuperbetinCasibomcasibomcasibom girişcasibomGrandpashabetGrandpashabet TwitterGrandpashabet Güncel Girişgrandpashabet grandpashabet twittertipobetdinamobetbetebetmeritkingpiabellacasinonakitbahismatadorbetgrandpashabetsekabetmobilbahiscasinomaxigamdomGamdomholiganbet girişCasibombahsegelholiganbetmaltcasinoMaltcasinomarsbahis girişmarsbahis girişextrabet giriştimebetTimebetatlasbetAtlasbetatlasbetatlasbetAtlasbetAtlasbetmariobetultrabet güncel