Yala paddy harvest in A’pura and Polonnaruwa have begun

Nimal WIJESINGHE -Anuradhapura Additional District group correspondent

The harvesting of paddy in ongoing Yala season has begun in Anuradhapura and Polonnarua district.

The intermediary local paddy purchasers have already started storing paddy buying a kilogram of Samba and Nadu paddy at prices ranging from Rs. 36.50 to Rs. 37.00 and Rs. 26.50 to Rs. 28.50 respectively combing through remote villages.

Several millers in Anuradhapura disclosed to the Daily News that they buy both “Nadu” and “Samba” from the paddy collectors on the basis of Rs. 38.50 and Rs. 29.60 respectively.

According to them they required 1 1/2 kilograms of Samba paddy for producing a kilogram of Samba rice. Hence they have to bear an expense of Rs. 58.50 or more for the production of one kilo of Samba at present.

However, today in Anuradhapura in the market, a kilogramme of Samba rice is sold at Rs. 70.

On the directive of the Minister of Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services Development Maithripala Sirisena the PMB Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa have made arrangements to buy Samba and Nadu paddy at Rs. 30 and Rs. 28 respectively and expects to go for higher rates depending on the private sector purchasing style.

R. W. Bandula Kumara, the Anuradhapura Zonal Manager of PMB told the Daily News that he expected to buy 30,000 metric tons of paddy during current Yala season.

He said that the Government has allocated Rs. 970 million to Anuradhapura PMB for purchasing paddy. According to him in Anuradhapura district 70,300 hectares have been cultivated with paddy for Yala envisaging a harvest of a least 300,000 metric tons of paddy.

He said that he possessed storage facilities for nearly 50,000 metric tons of paddy.

Wasantha Abeykoon, the Regional Manager of PMB Polonnaruwa said that Rs. 1,450 million has been released by Treasury to him to purchase paddy in the area.

The target is to buy 50,000 metric tons of paddy. In Polonnaruwa district 150,000 hectares have been grown with paddy for Yala.