“AKD does not know that not a single grain of rice is being imported into Sri Lanka”
The country now has rice to grow. The government had to import 08 lakh metric tons of rice in 2022. The reason is the fertilizer crisis in the 2021 maha season. But due to the measures we took from the 2022 yala season, we did not have to import a single grain of rice in the years 2023 and 2024 years.
Mr. Anura Dissanayake says that when he comes to power, he will stop importing rice. President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government stopped the import of rice two years ago. Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mahinda Amaraweera said that it is regrettable that former Agriculture Minister Anura Dissanayake, who is the presidential candidate of NPP, does not know that our country is now self-sufficient in rice.
The minister said this while addressing a public meeting held in Bokutupalassa area of Lunugamwehera yesterday.
The minister further commented there.
We are now self-sufficient in rice. Our next target is to double the paddy yield in the next five cropping seasons. All necessary steps have been taken for that. We will provide the required amount of MOP fertilizer free of cost in the next two maha seasons.
Also, the fertilizer subsidy will be increased to 25,000 rupees. A technical package has been introduced for farmers to increase the yield of paddy cultivation. Due to this, many farmers in Hambantota and Udawalawa region achieved a record harvest of 13 metric tons of paddy per hectare in the 2023 maha season. It must be said that now the people of our country are consuming 100 percent of the rice produced in our country.
In the past there was a dearth of keeri samba rice. But now the lack of keeri samba rice is over. There is enough Keeri Samba rice in the market. Keeri samba rice, which was sold at 350 rupees, has now reduced in price to about 250 rupees.
We still have a long way to go. We are achieving that. Some farmer organizations of JVP tried to create issues for its representatives. Anyway, all the attempts to drag the farmers from the fields to the roads were defeated. The farmers know that JVP are trying to destroy them.
That is why the farmers are not going to the JVP protests now. The Janata Vimukthi Peramuna, represented by former Agriculture Minister Anura Dissanayake, tried to destroy the agriculture of this country and starve the people. There is no other party in this country that has brought destruction to the country like that. Such despicable people are now asking for power to build the country.
But the farmers know that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has given all possible support to agriculture in this country. Therefore, this country is now self-sufficient in rice. The minister also said that there is no need for Mr. Anura Dissanayake took steps for that.
The post “AKD does not know that not a single grain of rice is being imported into Sri Lanka” appeared first on DailyNews.