Jaffna Farmers Lose Out: Aussie Seed Potatoes Ruined, Ministry Orders Probe

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Sri Lankan Ministry of Agriculture has announced an investigation into the spoilage of 21 metric tons of imported seed potatoes stored in the Kuppaveli area of Jaffna.

According to a Ministry statement, the Jaffna district office submitted a report detailing the incident to Minister Mahinda Amaraweera. 

This follows the Minister's instructions to the Director General of Agriculture yesterday to provide a comprehensive report.

The affected potatoes were imported from Australia and intended for distribution to farmers. 

Investigations revealed that improper storage conditions led to infection by both fungi and bacteria, affecting around 40% of the stock.

Minister Amaraweera, in response, has directed the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture to hold accountable officials responsible for the loss and take appropriate action.