By Ifham Nizam
About 10,909 bowser loads were required for the current cultivation season, the Agriculture Ministry said.About 40 million litres of diesel are required for land preparation and another 32 million litres for harvesting.Agriculture Ministry Secretary Rohana Pushpakumara said that the total amount of fuel required for the preparation and harvesting of paddy fields in the Maha season is 72 million litres of diesel.
Arrangements had been made to provide 50 litres of diesel per hectare to the farmers for preparing the paddy fields and 40 litres per hectare for harvesting, he said. The Secretary said currently the fuel required for cultivation in the Maha season was provided by refilling stations reserved for that purpose and as per the instructions of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, the supervision of the task had been assigned to all the District Secretaries.
Therefore, if there was a problem in procuring required fuel for cultivation in any area, farmers could meet the relevant District Secretary immediately.Meanwhile, the Petroleum Corporation as well as the Ministry of Agriculture has appointed a separate officer to monitor the issuance of fuel for agricultural purposes.