Archives

Farmer organisations, Govijana banks to Purchase Paddy harvest - S.B.

Samurdhi,Agriculture and Livestock Minister S.B.Dissanayake said that arrangements will be made to purchase the paddy and chillie harvest of farmers through the farmer organisations and Govijana Banks from the next harvesting season without allowing private traders to exploit the farmers any more.

The Minister made these observations at the 35th "Aluth Sahal Mangalyaya" held at the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi, Anuradhapura on Friday.

" The objective of the Aluth Sahal Mangalyaya is to traditionally offer the maiden harvest reaped by the Raja Rata farmers during the Maha season to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. As a special feature, rice produced by farmers outside the Raja Rata in areas like Mannar, Batticaloa, Jaffna and Ampara districts were also included in the offerings this year."

Farmers from areas countrywide with bowls filled with new rice marched in procession from the "Lion Pillar" at Anuradhapura to offer a portion of their maiden harvest to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi amidst the chanting of Seth Pirith by the Maha Sangha led by Atamasthanadhipati Ven.Pallegama Siriniwasa thera.

Minister Dissanayake said the import of rice by the former PA Government during the harvesting period without any proper plan depressed paddy prices locally. Therefore, the UNF Government has no intention to unnecessarily import rice.

Sri Lanka needed 1.9 million Metric tons of rice annually for consumption. Of this 1.5 million Metric tons of rice is expected from the Maha harvest this year. Initiatives will be taken to bridge the gap with a proper plan, he said.

The Minister said when farmers panic to sell their paddy during the harvesting period, private traders try to take an undue advantage and exploit them. But the Government will not allow the private traders to purchase paddy from farmers at low prices any more.

He said a systematic program will be implemented by the Government through the farmer organisations and the Govijana Banks to purchase paddy. The purchasing will be done with the assistance of Agriculture Research Officers and Production Assistants.

"In future, opportunities will be provided to farmers to sell a Kilo of paddy at more than Rs.13 per Kilo. As a result, rice will be available between Rs.25 to Rs.26 per Kilo in the local market," he said.

The Minister said arrangements have also been made from this budget to impose a 60 per cent tax on imported chillies. According to the proposed plan of the Ministry, a fair price will be offered to the chille farmers in the future. This would enable the farmers to obtain Rs.80 per Kilo on chillies while the market price of a Kilo of chillies in the local market will be Rs.100 to Rs.105.

A special program will also be implemented to increase the country's vegetable production and uplift the economic conditions of vegetable farmers, the Minister added.

Housing Development Minister P. Harrison and Anuradhapura District MP W.P.Ekanayake also spoke.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager