The government has decided to give an amount of 6000 million rupees to the Paddy Marketing Board for the purchase of paddy in this yala season.
In its first phase, an amount of Rs. 500 million was given to the Paddy Marketing Board and the Board opened nearly 36 warehouses to buy paddy from the farmers.
But so far the farmers have not sold enough paddy to the Paddy Marketing Board. So far, the farmers have sold as little as 100,000 metric tons of paddy to the PMB, says Mr. Buddhika Iddamalgoda, the chairman of the PMB.
However, the private sector has taken necessary steps to buy paddy harvest at a higher price after the PMB started buying paddy. Accordingly, the price of a kilo of keeri samba paddye, which was between 105-110 rupees, has now exceeded 130 rupees. Also, for the first time in this country, the price of a kilo of samba paddy has reached 130 rupees. The chairman also said that due to this, it is reported that farmers have received high prices for their paddy crops in this year’s yala season.
However, the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mr. Mahinda Amaraweera says that even if the PMB does not receive paddy, it is a victory for the PMB to be able to give a high price for the paddy harvest of the farmers.
The aim of the PMB is to maintain a stable rice price while protecting both the paddy farmers and the consumer. The minister also said that the government’s intentions have been fulfilled by arranging for the private sector to buy paddy at a higher price with the initiation of the purchase of paddy by the PMB this year.
Several farmer organizations belonging to a political party are issuing false statements through the media that paddy cannot be sold and the price of paddy is low.
The minister also mentioned that the government is ready to purchase paddy through the PMB at the prices set by the government if the private sector offers a minimum price, and the Honorable President Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken steps to provide the necessary financial allocations for that
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