No paddy shortage - Minister

Agriculture Development and Agrarian Services Minister Maithreepala Sirisena refuted charges of an upcoming paddy shortage, stating that it was not possible to predict it as yet.

The yearly paddy yield is 3.6 billion metric tons. Paddy sown for this season is approximately 2.5 billion metric ton, he told a media briefing in Colombo yesterday.

Minister Sirisena added that agriculture has gained much momentum since 2005 with the agriculture-friendly policies adopted by the government.

Answering allegations by Opposition Leader, Ranil Wickremesinghe in Ampara, Minister Sirisena stated there was no disparity of rice prices from those declared by the Government.

A kilo of samba and a kilo of nadu kilo is purchased at Rs. 30 each as declared. Farmers can sell their rice directly to the Paddy Marketing Board or Co-operatives and agents appointed by

the government. These agents receive a special commission and are directed to purchase paddy at the same price as the government, he said..

The Finance Ministry has allocated funds to purchase paddy at a fair price. In the case of the stores in the Dry Zone being inadequate to hold the paddy harvest, measures have been taken to transfer the excess to warehouses in Colombo.

Investigations have been made into reports of low quality fertilizer.

It has been revealed that these have been imported by a private company.

Following these disclosures, the stores have been sealed and the company's permit withheld, the Minister said. DG