NGOs inciting farmers - Wimal
Ishara MUDUGAMUWA
 Some NGOs have taken the responsibility to promote wheat flour
consumption in Sri Lanka, said Construction, Engineering Services,
Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa.
“Farmers in the Polonnaruwa district recently conducted a protest
forcing the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) to purchase their paddy at Rs 40
per a kilo. Slogans for this protest were provided by an NGO. If the PMB
gave in to the demand, the final cost of a kilo of rice will be Rs 100.
The final outcome of this process will be the growth of wheat flour
consumption,” he said.
“Farmers should understand the motive of these NGOs,” the minister
said.
Weerawansa said that as a result of the Api Wawamu - Rata Nagamu and
Divi Neguma programmes, there is a rapid growth in the agriculture
sector.
"Thousands of barren lands were cultivated. Good prices has been
received for agriculture products. Under previous governments, some
farmers took poison as they couldn't sell their produce at a good price
and couldn't pay installments of loans. Farmers never experience such
tragedies under this government," he said. |
