Ministry submits cabinet paper to give 2Bn. to Farmer Trust Fund

This year, the Ministry of Finance has implemented a special program for purchasing paddy during the Maha season.

Accordingly, the Ministry of Finance has taken steps to provide loans of Rs 25 million and Rs 50 million to small and medium scale rice mill owners on concessional interest basis. The amount allocated for this purpose is 09 billion rupees.

The Department of Agriculture has already given a minimum price for paddy. Accordingly, it was decided to implement a joint program with the Ministry of Finance and small and medium scale rice mill owners to buy Nadu rice with a moisture content of 14% at Rupees hundred per kilogram. But this time too no steps have been taken to give money to the Paddy Marketing Board for the purchase of paddy.

But the Ministry of Agriculture and Plantation Industries decided to start a special program for the purchase of paddy by the Paddy Marketing Board. Accordingly, the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera, presented a cabinet paper asking that out of the 05 billion rupees to be charged to the Farmer Trust Fund from the Treasury, 02 billion rupees should be given to the Paddy Marketing Board.

The Paddy Marketing Board says that it is ready to start the purchase of paddy as soon as the amount of 02 billion rupees is received. The Board also emphasizes that all the warehouses of the Paddy Marketing Board have been prepared for that purpose.

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