Over 66,000 MTs of paddy to be purchased through DSs, DSs – Minister

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that the Government decided to purchase over 66,000 Metric Tons of paddy through District Secretaries (DSs) and Divisional Secretaries (DSs) instead of the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) during this Maha Season.

The Minister was speaking while participating in a discussion with a group of Puttalam District farmer representatives on Wednesday asking about the work order of the Ministry of Agriculture to buy paddy in this Maha Season.

The Minister also said that the Government has decided to allocate Rs.10 billion for the purchase of paddy in the crop season.The Government has decided to purchase paddy through the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries, turn it into rice and provide 10 kilo Grams of rice to each family for free for two months.

The Minister also mentioned that the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance submitted two Cabinet Papers regarding the purchase of paddy in the Maha Season, and according to the Cabinet Paper submitted by the Ministry of Finance, it was approved.

Accordingly, the Minister also mentioned that the government has taken a decision to purchase the paddy harvest this year through the District Secretaries and Divisional Secretaries rather than through the intervention of the Paddy Marketing Bard.