Sri Lanka, May 25 -- As Sri Lanka's economy slowly recovers from one crisis after another, the 2021 scandal involving fertiliser imported from China now stands as a stark reminder of how political negligence, administrative lapses, and a lack of accountability can inflict lasting harm on the country. The story of the contaminated Chinese organic fertiliser deal, which cost the nation over US$11.7 million and left thousands of farmers in hardship, is more than a cautionary tale, it is a reminder that Sri Lanka must take action against those who misused state funds.

The story began in 2021 when the Gotabaya Rajapaksa administration abruptly banned chemical fertiliser and pesticides, pivoting the nation's agriculture towards organic methods...