Guaranteed price for Maha season paddy

Rs 250 million allocated to purchase 35,000 metric tons:

I. L. M. Rizan - Addalaichenai Central Corr

The farmers of Ampara District expressed their gratitude to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for having taken prompt action to purchase their Maha harvested paddy at guaranteed price.

Rs 250 million was allocated by the government to purchase 35,000 metric tons of paddy from the district's farmers.

The Maha season 2012/2013 paddy harvest has already commenced in the Ampara District.

The farmers have earlier been selling their paddy to middle men and traders at low prices sustaining heavy losses in paddy cultivation.

Under the guaranteed price scheme, the prices are fixed as follows: country rice - one kilo Rs 32 and samba paddy- one kilo Rs 35.

This increased price of paddy will benefit the farmers who toiled hard in their paddy fields.

It is noted that President Rajapaksa agreed in the budget proposal to increase the price of paddy. Accordingly, he has done so which is a great boon to the paddy farmers of the district, farmers said.

The Pottuvil Divisional Government Paddy Stores are handled by P. D. Asoka Wijeratna, Akkaraipattu Divisional stores are handled by W. V. C. Anura Kumara, Nintavur Divisional stores are handled by K. A. P. P. Kumara and Saminda Kumara Wijesinga is in charge of the Sammanthurai Divisional paddy stores.