Rs 10 m to purchase paddy in Kandy

Dharma Sri ABEYRATNE

The Government has allocated Rs. 10 million for paddy purchasing in the Kandy District, Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Ministry sources said.

The allocation would be utilised by Co-operative Societies to purchase the paddy harvest since harvesting has already commenced for the Yala season in the Kandy District.

Accordingly, the Government has granted Rs. 1.5 million to the Minipe Co-operative Society while steps have been taken to grant Rs. 1 million to the Hasalaka Co-operative Society.

The Minipe Agriculture project is said to be the largest agriculture project in the Kandy District where the largest harvest is reported. Though the paddy harvesting ratio of the Minipe 1 and 2 projects, has reached two per cent, most private traders engage in paddy purchasing in the area.

In future when the paddy harvesting ratio would increase, farmers would be able to sell their harvest at better prices as the Government has taken every step to buy paddy at a guaranteed price, Kandy District Secretary said.