Fertiliser crisis: Government to meet Chinese diplomats

• Vessel carrying controversial Chinese organic fertiliser nears Colombo
• Authorities reject request for third test of organic fertiliser samples 
• Adequate nano fertiliser ordered for Maha season: Agriculture Minister

By Asiri Fernando (The Sunday Morning)

Chinese diplomats will meet officials of the Agriculture Ministry tomorrow (8) to discuss the rejection of a stock of Chinese organic fertiliser bound for Sri Lanka, The Sunday Morning learnt.

Responding to a query, Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage said he intends to explain to them why the consignment was rejected following the testing of the samples provided by the Chinese company, Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd.

This move came on the heels of the Colombo Commercial High Court extending the enjoining order issued against the Chinese company till 19 November. The order was first issued after consideration of a petition filed by state-owned Ceylon Fertiliser Company (CFC) on 22 October.

The controversy over the Chinese fertiliser consignment was sparked when organic fertiliser samples provided by Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co. Ltd., which were tested twice by Sri Lanka’s National Plant Quarantine Service (NPQS), were found to have contained micro-organisms, including harmful bacteria – a charge the supplier denied. Moreover, the Chinese Embassy in Colombo called into question the local testing methodology and requested the Government to submit the samples to a third party for testing.

Minister Aluthgamage said that a third test would not be permitted, but added that samples from a new stock of fertiliser could be tested for approval if so required.

However, speaking to the media last week, University of Ruhuna Faculty of Agriculture Professor of Crop Science Aruna Kumara raised concerns about the possibility of some Chinese organic fertiliser containing high amounts of arsenic.

Meanwhile, last week, the Economic and Commercial Office of the Chinese Embassy in Colombo blacklisted People’s Bank for not honouring the letter of credit (LC) opened for the importation of said organic fertiliser.

However, People’s Bank maintained that they were bound by the enjoining order issued by the Commercial High Court, which prevented them from making any payments to the Chinese company in relation to the organic fertiliser shipment.

Efforts were being taken by the Sri Lankan Government to de-list the state bank, The Sunday Morning learnt.

Consignment ship loitering

Meanwhile, the vessel carrying the controversial consignment of fertiliser, Hippo Spirit, reportedly changed its name mid-voyage, and was in the close vicinity of Sri Lanka, a commercial ship traffic tracking service told The Sunday Morning.

According to sources, the name of the vessel was changed to “Seiyo Explorer” and had been tracked off the southern coast of Sri Lanka between 24 and 28 October.

Speaking to The Morning, Colombo Harbour Master Capt. K.M. Silva said the Hippo Spirit vessel could enter the port for a service call, but would not be allowed to disembark crew and unload cargo.

“If a service call is required, the vessel can enter the port. But, as of now, the Hippo Spirit vessel has not made the requisition. This is not an easy process. The local agent has to be informed by the vessel, after which the agent has to contact the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) and arrange for the documentation to be processed. The agent will then need to make an advance payment. For a service call, food, water, and medicines will be provided to the vessel, but this also needs clearance.

“Most importantly, such vessels need to make a dangerous goods declaration, which, in itself, is a lengthy process. We can’t just accept the vessel when it comes,” said Capt. Silva.

He further clarified that the Navy was not informed or given permission to accept the Hippo Spirit vessel, adding: “The Navy is in charge of security threats which might come from the seas. This itself is a lengthy process, as the vessel needs clearance.”

He added: “We were informed yesterday (last Friday) as well to not accept the cargo. So, unless plans have changed from last (Friday) night, we will not accept the vessel,” he concluded.

Over the last two weeks, the Sri Lanka Port Authority maintained that they had not received any requests from the vessel, or its agents, to call to the port. However, it is learnt that the vessel was loitering near major shipping lanes outside Sri Lankan territorial waters (12 nautical miles).

Speaking to The Morning earlier this week, Ministry of Agriculture Secretary Prof. Udith Jayasinghe stated any attempt by the vessel to unload a prohibited consignment of fertiliser at a Sri Lankan port would amount to “terrorism”.

“The consignment has been rejected, and the fertiliser will not be tested for the third time. If this were to happen, the Director General needs to inform us, but that has not been done either.

“Now that it is rejected, we will not change our decision. If the ship comes by force into Sri Lankan waters and tries to unload – which is highly doubtful – it would be considered an act of terrorism,” Prof. Jayasinghe said.

Stop-gap solution questioned

The Government’s lack of preparedness to support its sudden policy change on fertiliser was made apparent when Sri Lanka last week took the unprecedented step of airlifting 100 tonnes of liquid nano nitrogen fertiliser with the aid of the Indian Air Force. Nano fertiliser is being promoted by the Government as a stop-gap solution until local organic fertiliser capacity-building takes place.

According to Minister Aluthgamage, a further 12,000 litres of nano fertiliser will arrive via sea freight this week. The nano fertiliser that was imported from the Indian Farmers’ Fertiliser Co-operative Ltd. (IFFCO) was being distributed among Sri Lankan farmers under the brand name “NANO RAJA”.

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, State Minister for Promoting Production and Regulating Supply of Organic Fertiliser Secretary Nihal Ranasinghe explained that the Government had ordered 2,125,000 litres of organic nano fertiliser for paddy and maize farmers for the Maha season. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, this quantity of nano fertiliser liquid was allocated to be used for 800,000 hectares of paddy and 300,000 hectares of maize and corn.

When asked if there was a request for nano fertiliser from other crop growers, Ranasinghe responded in the negative.

The storage and distribution of the nano fertiliser will be carried out by the CFC, it is learnt.

However, farmers raised questions about the availability and efficiency of the nano fertilisers that were imported. Farming groups and experts requested for an extensive study to be carried out on the effects of nano fertiliser on different crops before it was approved for use.

However, the Government responded that the liquid nano nitrogen fertiliser had been tested by the Bureau Veritas laboratory, adding that the fertiliser was also approved for use in many other countries. The Sunday Morning learnt that the Sri Lanka Standards Institute (SLSI) had appointed a committee to evaluate the fertiliser.

The agriculture sector is still in turmoil following the Government’s decision to ban the import and use of chemical fertiliser.

The ad hoc move by the Government drew widespread criticism, with even proponents of organic agriculture expressing concern about the policy change being implemented overnight, instead of through a gradual process through a clear and publicised plan.

Farming groups staged protests and burned effigies of state officials, calling on the Government to rethink its decision and to provide relief for those who were affected. Opposition politicians and subject matter experts warned that the ad hoc policy change would push already vulnerable farming communities further into poverty, and would likely cause a food shortage in the coming months.

Attempts to contact State Minister Shasheendra Rajapaksa and the CFC regarding the Chinese shipment and the plans for distribution of the liquid nano nitrogen fertiliser proved futile.