How Big Green is limiting food production
In April of 2021, the president of Sri Lanka banned the import of fertilizers and pesticides and told the southwest Asia country’s 2 million farmers they were immediately moving to total organic production. The predictable result was a dramatic drop in yields and a food crisis for its 22 million residents.
While the government policy was dropped in November, it was too late to overcome limited food supplies due to 30-60% yield decreases for most crops and grocery prices that increased by as much as 90%. Even with the short-lived organic-only mandate, thousands of farmers are facing bankruptcy.
The effects of the fertilizer and pesticide ban were brutal and swift. Rice production fell 20% within 6 months, forcing the government to import $450 million of rice to feed its citizens. The unfortunate top-down government decision to immediately switch 100% to organic farming was made without consulting farmers, scientists or environmentalist who had advocated for a more gradual 10-year transition.
But the government was looking to eliminate a $500 million per year subsidy on the importation and use of fertilizer. This savings was to be used to offset the government’s debt-fueled spending and tax cuts that had slashed government revenue. Then Covid battered the country’s tourist industry and the war in Ukraine pushed up global costs for food and fuel.
A new president was installed in July after the previous president resigned and fled the country in the face of mass protests over fuel shortages and sky-high food prices. The new president needs $300 million to import enough fertilizer to prevent another disaster with the latest rice crop.
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Let Big Green make agriculture decisions is a road to disaster for the farmers and the consumers. They give the worst advice on food production in the world.
See, also:
Food Prices Hit 40-Year High, Keep Breaking Records Every Month
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