February 05, Colombo (LNW): The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land, and Irrigation is set to unveil the long-awaited certified price for paddy today, with officials emphasising that this price will be calculated based on the complete cost of production.
Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne confirmed that the forthcoming price announcement will take into account the full expenses incurred by farmers in cultivating paddy.
He acknowledged that the long-standing demand from Sri Lanka’s farming community has been for a price that reflects at least a 30 per cent profit margin above production costs for every kilogramme of paddy harvested.
Unfortunately, this target has often remained an elusive goal.
Karunaratne explained that, despite the challenges faced in the past, the government has now taken concrete steps to meet this expectation. The authorities will ensure that the certified price will include the desired 30 per cent margin, aligning with what farmers have long been advocating for.
In addition to the price adjustment, the Deputy Minister highlighted that the Treasury has allocated a substantial Rs. 5 billion to facilitate the purchase of paddy stocks directly from local farmers.
This financial commitment aims to ease the burden on farmers, provide them with a fair return for their hard work, and support the local agricultural economy.
