Govt to build cold rooms at all DECs

Irangika Range

The government will set up new sorting divisions and cold rooms for all Dedicated Economic Centres (DECs) located throughout the country.

A spokesman from the Co-operatives and Internal Trade Ministry said that this is being done for the benefit of the farmers who supplies crops daily to the DECs in the country. This move would help farmers to store their produce thus preventing it from perishing.

The decision was taken by Co-operatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando following the instructions by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to prevent the massive spoilage of vegetables reported from several economic centres due to oversupply in the recent past.

Large stocks of vegetables brought to the DECs by farmers remained unsold and dumped in pits.

Since the traders kept their stalls closed specially during holidays, farmers undergo greater difficulties in selling their vegetable stocks resulting in vegetables being discarded.

As a result of selling vegetables at lower prices at DECs, there is a noticeable decrease in the number of farmers coming to these centres.