Gota Defended It. World Bank Calls It a Bad Decision

Report Summary

Gotabaya Rajapaksa defended Sri Lanka's 2021 fertilizer import ban as a bold step toward organic agriculture, but a senior World Bank economist now calls it a bad decision that contributed to the country's economic crisis. The abrupt policy caused production difficulties, farmer uncertainty, and broader economic instability, prompting calls for consistent, evidence‑based agricultural reforms. Five years later, the debate remains a key case study shaping Sri Lanka's agricultural and economic policy discussions.