Middlemen increase vegi prices

Priyanka KURUGALA

A survey has revealed that around five middlemen participate in transporting vegetables from rural areas to Colombo resulting in an increase in vegetable prices, said Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S M Chandrasena. He was participating at the inaugural ceremony of the National Program to sell vegetables and other essential food items through Agrarian Services Centres.

The inaugural ceremony was held at the Agrarian Services Centre at Deans Road, Maradana yesterday. The ceremony was held under Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa's patronage.

The Minister said due to the participation of middlemen to transport vegetables from rural areas to towns, vegetable prices have been increased by many folds.

"This new arrangement will help control consumers from being exploited," he said.

Minister Chandrasena said more than 11,000 officers who work under the Agrarian Services Department should support this program.

Around 1.5 million farmers come under this Ministry. It is the duty of all officers to serve these people, he said.

The Minister also said around 500,000 paddy acres were affected due to the floods.

It has been reported that around 200,000 paddy field acres were completely destroyed by floods while around 500 medium and small reservoirs have been destroyed.

The Government will renovate reservoirs destroyed by floods in the near future. "We have planned to cultivate short-term crops to solve the vegetable" shortage, he said.

Ministry Secretary Udeni Wickramasinghe and Agrarian Services Commissioner General Ravindra Hewavitharana also spoke.