Paddy purchasing from farmers has recommenced through the District and Divisional Secretariats. Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweerra told the Sunday Observer yesterday that he is glad that paddy purchases are now on.
An initiative presented by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to purchase paddy through the District and Divisional Secretariats was approved by the Cabinet last week. As part of the President’s proposal, 61,600 metric tons of paddy would be purchased through District Secretariats with the support of small- and medium-scale paddy mill owners to ensure the food security of two million families for two months.
Minister Amaraweera has been highlighting the need to give priority to paddy purchases. He also said that a Local Government poll requiring Rs. 10 billion could be held later, considering the country’s current economic crisis.
He also said if the Government must spend, let it be spent buying paddy from the farmers. He told the Sunday Observer that he was happy for the farmers as they could now sell their paddy stocks.
Asked if buying 61,000 metric tons of paddy would be enough to address the problem of paddy purchasing in full, Amaraweera said, “the private mill owners are also buying paddy from the farmers.”