Amaraweera By Maheesha Mudugamuwa The Eppawela rock phosphate production plan, which ran into stiff resistance some years ago, is likely to be implemented with the government taking action to commence the production of Single Super Phosphate (SSP) by utilising the Eppawala phosphate deposit next year. Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday assured that the initial cost of commencing the production would be borne by the government. It has been estimated to be Rs. 2 billion. Amaraweera told The Island that the project could have been implemented at a cost of Rs. 900 million if it had not been shelved. He said the past governments had invested no money in the project. Eppawela rock phosphate deposit was first discovered in 1971 by the people in the area, and then by the Geological Survey Department. Surveys established an estimated deposit of 25 million tonnes with the possibility of it going up to 60 million tonnes. Minister Amaraweera said that the technical committee appointed by him to conduct a technical research had submitted a complete report on Wednesday. The committee was headed by Prof. O. A. Illeperuma of the Peradeniya University. Scientists working on the deposit found that it was suitable for direct application for long term crops such as tea, rubber and coconut and subsequently crushed rock phosphate had been used, he said. Phosphate was an essential nutrient for plant growth and also required by all animals for their survival. It was non-renewable and a dwindling resource worldwide. It had been estimated that all known deposits of rock phosphate deposits would be exhausted within the next 50 years and the remainder of the reserve base in the next 100 years, Minister Amaraweera said.
The Eppawela rock phosphate production plant in Sri Lanka could be in use by 2019, years after running into opposition and being shelved. The government is expected to pay the estimated LKR2bn ($12m) cost of reviving the fertiliser plant which scientists say sits on a deposit of at least 25 million metric tonnes (mt) and possibly as much as 60 million mt of phosphate. The supply is said to be most suitable for long-term crops including tea, rubber and coconut plantations. Phosphate is a finite resource and estimates have suggested supplies will be exhausted within 100 years.