September 15, Colombo (LNW): The Government has approved a further Rs. 2.5 billion for the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) to continue purchasing rice paddy from farmers during the 2026 Yala harvest.
The additional funding is intended to prevent disruptions to the Government’s paddy-buying programme as harvesting continues in several major agricultural areas.
Cabinet approval was granted to a proposal from the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation to release the money to the PMB on a reimbursement basis. The allocation forms part of an additional Rs. 7.5 billion previously set aside for an accelerated programme to purchase paddy from the 2026 Yala season.
Of that wider allocation, Rs. 6 billion has already been channelled to the PMB and is currently being used for purchases directly from farmers.
However, officials have determined that the existing funds are unlikely to cover anticipated requirements over the next few weeks, particularly as harvesting remains under way in a number of farming regions.
These include the districts of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Puttalam, Mannar and Mullaitivu, as well as the Mahaweli B, C and H agricultural zones.
With harvesting yet to be completed in those areas, the additional funding is expected to give the PMB sufficient financial capacity to continue buying paddy as farmers bring their crops to market.
The move is also aimed at ensuring that farmers in the remaining harvesting areas have a reliable government purchasing mechanism, particularly during the peak period when large quantities of paddy enter the market.
The latest allocation brings the total amount earmarked specifically for the PMB under the accelerated 2026 Yala purchasing initiative to Rs. 8.5 billion, following the earlier Rs. 6 billion provision and the newly approved Rs. 2.5 billion.
The Government’s decision is expected to help maintain the momentum of the procurement programme and ensure that purchasing operations continue until the remaining Yala harvest is brought in.
