Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that National People’s Power (NPP) Presidential Candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake 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 800,000 metric tons of rice in 2022, because of the fertiliser 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 2023 and 2024,” Minister Amaraweera said.
“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. It is regrettable that Dissanayake, who is a former Agriculture Minister, does not know that our country is now self-sufficient in rice,” Minister Amaraweera said.
The Minister was addressing a public meeting in the Bokutupalassa area of Lunugamwehera yesterday.
Minister Amaraweera further said: “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 fertiliser to farmers free of cost in the next two Maha seasons.
“Also, the fertiliser subsidy will be increased to Rs. 25,000. A technical package has been introduced for farmers to increase the yield from paddy cultivation. Due to this, many farmers in the Hambantota and Udawalawa regions 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 Rs. 350, has now reduced in price to about Rs. 250.
“We still have a long way to go. We are achieving that. Some Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) farmer organisations tried to create issues. All attempts to drag the farmers from the fields to the roads were defeated. The farmers know that the JVP is trying to destroy them.
“That is why the farmers are not going to the JVP protests now. The JVP, represented by former Agriculture Minister Anura Kumara 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. There is no need for Anura Kumara Dissanayake to take steps for that.”
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