Purchasing paddy:

Co-ordinating officers to assist

The co-operatives and Internal Trade Ministry will appoint Co-ordinating Officers in proximity to Paddy Marketing Board Stores complexes to assist in the purchase of paddy from farmers.

These officers will help to solve immediate problems encountered by farmers in marketing their paddy to the PMB. This follows a decision taken by Minister Johnston Fernando following meeting with Ministry Secretary Thursday.

The Minister said the PMB had already started the purchasing exercise through co-operative societies throughout the country. Co-ordinating officers would help strengthen and expedite the purchasing process without any hassle to farmers. The Minister also denied UNP accusations of a break down of the paddy purchasing exercise as completely false.

A Ministry release said the co-ordinating officers will be appointed from among persons selected from Farmer Organisations the area on the recommendations of the relevant District Secretary and Agrarian Services Assistant Commissioner.

The co-ordinating officers will visit the paddy producing areas and check the humidity of the harvested paddy easing the burden of the farmer in bringing back rejected paddy. The co-ordinating officers will ensure that only paddy conforming to the PMB stipulations regarding humidity content is taken to the PMB stores.