The Indian Air Force has lifted 100,000 kilograms of Nano Nitrogen fertilizer to Sri Lanka after the Government of Sri Lanka requested the same. The Sri Lankan Government requested the supply of Nano Nitrogen after they detected contamination in the organic fertilizer supplied by China.
The High Commission of India in Colombo, Sri Lanka said in a statement, “Two Indian Air Force (IAF) heavy lift aircraft arrived in early morning hours of 04 November with a consignment of Nano Nitrogen fertilizer on the request of the Government of Sri Lanka.”
The statement stated further, “The two IAF C-17 Globemaster aircrafts arrived at Bandaranaike International Airport with 100,000 Kg of Nano Nitrogen. The deployment was essentially to support the Government of Sri Lanka’s initiative towards Organic farming and to expedite availability of Nano Nitrogen Fertiliser to the Sri Lankan farmers.”
“The Government of India has continued to support Sri Lanka in times of critical requirement as part of its ‘Neighbourhood First’ policy and has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity and role as the ‘First Responder’ in the region,” it added.
As we had reported earlier, Sri Lanka had rejected a consignment of Chinese fertiliser stating that it was contaminated and it did not pass its quality standards. Sri Lanka’s Plant Protection Ordinance prohibits the government from importing any product that is found to host microbes or other harmful microorganisms. However, tests carried out on Chinese samples showed the batch was contaminated with harmful microbes. The Chinese officials, however, asked Sri Lanka to re-test the contaminated batch claiming the standards on the island nation did not meet the international standards.
Sri Lanka conveyed its decision to China with a non-compliance report, informing Beijing that it has not allowed for bulk permit to the Chinese batch of fertilisers, which prevents it from entering or loading in Sri Lanka.