Instead of the fertilizer subsidy offered to farmers using chemical fertilizers, the organic farmers will receive the money.The progress review meeting of the first Agriculture Entrepreneurship Model Village in Kahattewela, Haputale was held yesterday at the Ministry of Agriculture.

At the meeting the attention was focused on directing the farmers to use organic fertilizer for fruit and vegetable cultivations in the model village as a measure to popularize the organic farming.

About 5000 farmers are engaged in organic farming and the Minister has received the cabinet approval to provide the necessary funds for the purchase of organic fertilizer from Maha Season in 2018.

The Ministry will also hold discussions with organic fertilizer producers and implement a program to encourage the production of organic fertilizer. The government has allocated Rs. 33 billion for the farmers' fertilizer subsidy this year.