Sri Lanka’s sudden switch to organic farming in 2021 caused major drops in crop yields. President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s election promise led to a ban on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. This forced 2 million farmers to adopt organic methods, resulting in a 20% fall in rice production. The ban also hit tea crops hard, Sri Lanka’s main export. Within six months, domestic rice prices jumped by 50%. The country had to import $450 million worth of rice to make up for … Continue reading Sri Lanka’s Shift to Organic Farming Drops Crop Yields