Funds allocated to purchase bumper harvest

Shirajiv Sirimane

COLOMBO: The Government has allocated special funds to purchase paddy for the upcoming harvesting season, said Deputy Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya.

In an interview with the Daily News, he said that with the fertiliser subsidy being granted the Government is expecting a bumper harvest, which would be 20 per cent higher than last season.

In addition the Government is also re-opening rice mills and stores which have been abandoned. "This would solve the problem of paddy storage," he said.

The Minister said they have already formulated programmes to provide credit facilities for small time mill owners, he said.

With the implementation of Mahinda Chintana 6,017 free meals would be provided for schoolchildren and excess rice would be used for this creating a bigger demand.

The Government would also substitute rice on the Samurdhi grant where possible.