September 14, Colombo (LNW): Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has directed Agriculture and Plantation Industry Minister Mahinda Amaraweera and Trade, Commerce and Food Safety Minister Nalin Fernando to promptly ensure a guaranteed price for mung beans. This action comes as a highly successful mung bean harvest enters the market, the result of efforts by food security and economic regeneration committees to encourage farmers to grow the crop during the intermediate season.
District Secretaries have reported that wholesale prices for mung beans remain reasonable. However, with a larger volume of crops expected to flood the market in the coming weeks, the Prime Minister expressed concern that prices could drop, leaving farmers vulnerable.
In his letter, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for an immediate intervention to prevent a collapse in market prices and instructed the Ministries to hold discussions and announce a guaranteed price for mung beans as soon as possible.
