As the Yala Season paddy harvesting has already commenced, the Agriculture Ministry has stated that the government has allocated Rs. 2,000 million to purchase farmers’ paddy crops at a reasonable price and will allocate more in the future.
Following complaints by farmers that mill owners of the private sector are purchasing paddy stocks for Rs. 80 – 90, the government decided to increase the price of paddy, leading to some of the major revisions in paddy prices, Rs. 120 per kilo of Nadu paddy, Rs. 125 per kilo of Samba paddy and Rs. 130 per kilo of Keeri Samba paddy.
Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board Neil Alwis revealed that about 845 metric tonnes (844,960 kg) of paddy were purchased within three days of starting paddy purchase.
As of now, purchase of paddy is carried out through 73 paddy warehouses in the districts where paddy harvesting has commenced. The purchasing activities will continue today as well, Alwis said.
MIAP
