As far as the Eppawala apatite deposit is concerned, it is always in the news more frequent than usual. Much water has gone under the bridges of Eppawala and quit flows Jayaganga. The Eppawala Phosphate rock remains in a chilled silence to the sorrows and joys of the people in the area. Although it is a valuable asset to the country, it has not yet been fully utilized for the betterment of the country. Having our findings been instrumental in shaping company strategies more effective, down to earth and result oriented paved the way to increase the sales of Eppawala rock phosphate fertilizer (ERP) more than 100% during a span of a decade. The plantation crop sector is now fully self-sufficient in local phosphates. Commercial utilization of Eppawala Rock Phosphate commenced in the year 1979 with the sale of 3,000 mt. and now it has come to 60,000 mt per annum by the year 2015. Because the achievement of this great feat we have contributed to save a substantial amount of valuable foreign exchange.
The important question is when and what action to be taken to reap the full benefits the valuable national asset to the national economy with the principle of sustainable development. Department of agriculture having considered conclusions of long-term comprehensive research has recommended Single Super Phosphate (SSP) fertilizer as an equally efficient phosphate fertilizer for our farmlands instead of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) which is currently being imported by draining billions of valuable foreign exchange every year.
Although there had been a number of proposals involved in foreign collaborations to develop the deposit to its full potential resulting in the production of highly soluble forms of phosphate fertilizer over the years of 1980s and 1990s, none of the proposed ventures materialized due to the social/ financial/ legal constraints. As a responsible state organization, we have endeavoured our best to utilize this asset for the betterment of the agriculture in the country ever since late 1990s.
All known phosphate deposits will be depleted within the next 50 years and the remainder of the reserves base in the next 100 years. This conclusion has a great bearing on what we do with our own resources of phosphate in this valuable deposit. The Ministerial Committee that was appointed to examine the indiscriminate usage of Chemical fertilizer with particular reference to Kidney related deceases in the North Central Province has recommended expediting the establishment of a chemical fertilizer manufacturing plant to produce fertilizer minimum/ standard limits of heavy metals utilizing Eppawala rock phosphate.
The Nano technology is now in full swing and drastic changes in fertilizer is not that far. Nano fertilizer, which is currently being tested, has a unique characteristic of high absorption efficiency, which would result in lower fertilizer quantities required per unit of land. Major strides in technology have considerably changed the practices of the end-users. Technological advances are a double-edged sword. They create opportunities and as w ell as they destroy opportunities.
Mr. U. Anura Dayananda
General Manager
