A rush to farm organically has plunged Sri Lanka’s economy into crisis
The ruling Rajapaksas have strong ideas and expect everyone to adopt them
STARING GLUMLY at his paddy field in the depths of rural Sri Lanka, B. R. Weeraratne sighs. The regular incursions of greedy elephants have been bad enough. But the government’s outright ban on agrochemicals will, he fears, slash his yields of nadu and samba, two of the most popular varieties of rice. Though the 56-year-old likes the idea of organic farming in principle, he thinks “the soil, the plants and the farmers all need time to learn it.” It should be phased in. Otherwise farmers like him may be flung into destitution.
This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “No more Mr Rice Guy”
Asia October 16th 2021
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- Rodrigo Duterte may pass on his job to his daughter
- Turkmenistan’s horse-loving dictator is grooming his son
- A rush to farm organically has plunged Sri Lanka’s economy into crisis
- South Korea’s ruling party bets on an anti-establishment figure
From the October 16th 2021 edition
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