President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has underscored the importance of maintaining adequate strategic paddy reserves, particularly in preparation for potential adverse climatic conditions in the future.
The President made these remarks during a discussion held at the Presidential Secretariat on plans for purchasing paddy during the current Yala cultivation season.
According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), President Dissanayake emphasized that national paddy reserves should not be viewed as part of routine operations but as a matter of strategic importance requiring special attention.
During the meeting, the President highlighted concerns that a significant portion of the paddy stocks purchased during last year’s Yala season has yet to be released to the market in sufficient quantities.
He sought details on measures already taken, as well as proposals under consideration, to clear existing stocks and make storage facilities available for new purchases.
President Dissanayake also instructed officials from the Ministry of Finance to allocate the necessary funds for the procurement of paddy during the ongoing Yala season.
The discussion further focused on the condition and capacity of district-level storage facilities. The President noted that similar challenges could be avoided in the future through the establishment of an accurate and comprehensive data system covering warehouse conditions and national buffer stock levels.
He directed relevant officials to take the necessary steps to develop such a system to improve planning, stock management, and food security.
Among those present at the meeting were Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation K.D. Lalkantha; Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe; Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne; Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation D.P. Wickramasinghe; Director General of the National Budget Department Jude Nilukshan; Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board A.M.U. Pinnalanda; Director General of Agriculture W.A.R.T. Wickramarachchi; Director of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute A.L. Sandhika; Commissioner General of the Department of Agrarian Development Dhammika Ranatunga; and several other government officials.