Hundreds of Tamil farmers marched to the Sri Lankan Government’s Agent office in Batticaloa last week, as they continued to protest against the policy of banning chemical fertilisers, a move that has launched a wave of discontent from agricultural workers across the island.
On Monday, hundreds of farmers across Batticaloa took their protests to the streets. Sri Lankan police officers attempted to stop the farmers from entering the GA’s office.
A recent move from the Sri Lankan government, which has been repeatedly defended by the war crimes accused president Gotabaya Rajapaksa, barred chemical fertilisers on the island. The move has impacted on agricultural workers the hardest, who rely on the products to ensure a good growth for their crops.
They state that the sudden move, done without prior warning or any alternative measures, has left them facing uncertainty and the prospect of a much reduced harvest.
Similar protests have taken place not just by Tamils in the North-East, but also by Sinhala farmers in the South.
