Sri Lanka incurred a financial loss of US$6.873 million due to the importation of substandard organic fertiliser from China in 2021, with the Auditor General’s Department recommending legal action against those responsible and the recovery of the losses, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne told Parliament.
The Deputy Minister made the remarks while responding to questions raised by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Badulla District MP Chaminda Wijesiri in Parliament on Thursday (24).
Karunaratne said the Auditor General’s report found that the country suffered a financial loss of US$6.873 million as a result of importing substandard organic fertiliser during the administration of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2021.
According to the report, the Auditor General has recommended that appropriate legal action be instituted against those responsible for the financial loss and that steps be taken to recover the funds.
“The Auditor General’s Department has submitted a report on organic fertiliser imported from China during the tenure of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2021. According to this report, Sri Lanka has suffered a financial loss of US$6.873 million due to the import of substandard organic fertiliser,” Karunaratne said.
He further stated that there had been no dispute between the Sri Lankan and Chinese governments over the fertiliser imports, noting that the transactions were handled at the institutional level by the respective parties.
The Deputy Minister also informed Parliament that a case relating to the importation of the substandard organic fertiliser is currently before the Colombo Commercial High Court and that investigations into the matter are continuing.
