Govt. allocates Rs,1000m for yala purchase
Vindya Hewavitharana
COLOMBO: The Government has allocated Rs. 1000 million to
purchase paddy from farmers during the forthcoming yala season.
This year's yala season is expected to yield a paddy harvest of
140,000 Metric tons.
The Government will purchase 20 per cent of the yala harvest,
Agrarian Services and Farmer Community Development Minister S.M.
Chandrasena told a press briefing yesterday.
The Agricultural Products Marketing Authority which comes under the
purview of the Consumer Affairs Ministry will conduct the Government's
paddy purchasing programme. However, the entire paddy purchasing
programme will be coordinated and supervised by the Agrarian Services
Ministry, he said.
According to the Ministry problems have arisen with regard to storage
of the yala harvest. This is because several paddy stores which came
under the purview of the Paddy Marketing Board were shut down several
years ago and converted into garment factories.
As a remedy, countrywide Agrarian Services Centres will be utilised
to store the yala paddy harvest. There are 540 Agrarian Services Centres
operating throughout the country. Therefore the Government's paddy
purchasing programme will be mainly conducted through these Agrarian
Services Centres including the North-East areas, the Minister said.
Under the Government's paddy purchasing programme, a Kilo of Samba
paddy will be purchased at Rs. 17.50 and a Kilo of Nadu at Rs. 16.50.
Gathering of the yala harvest has already commenced in the Ampara
district. Therefore the purchase of paddy in the Ampara district has
already commenced.
Meanwhile, the Government has also made arrangements to export 50,000
Metric tons of paddy to India.
However, the export of paddy to India has been delayed due to certain
malpractices that have taken place relating to paddy stocks stored in
several paddy stores in Ampara and other districts. Minister Chandrasena
has instructed the Ministry Secretary to conduct an immediate inquiry in
this regard and submit a report within seven days.
In addition, the transport of paddy to Colombo has been delayed due
to checks carried out on lorries transporting paddy stocks at several
check points due to security reasons. These paddy stocks are purchased
and transported by the Sri Lankan representative of the RGK
International, he said.
At present nearly 100 Metric tons of paddy have been brought to
Colombo and further paddy stocks are to be transported to Colombo within
the next few days for export to India, the Minister said. |