PMB makes highest paddy purchase from Ampara

The Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) purchased 61,000 metric tonnes of paddy from farmers this Maha season, Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando said.

He said the ministry spent Rs 2,300 million to purchase the paddy stock. “The PMB purchased 15,700 mts from the Amapara district - the highest quantity of the total stock purchased this season,” he said.

The PMB buys at the rate of Rs 35, a kilo of Samba and pays Rs 32 for a kilo of Nadu.

Fernando said the PMB purchased 15,300 mts of of paddy from Wayamba, 11,000 mts from the Anuradhapura district, 4,000 mts from the Polonnaruwa district, 2,500 mts from Kilinochchi and Hambantota district and 9,000 mts from the rest of the country.

PMB sources said Minister Fernando issued directives to the PMB chairman to make paddy purchases without causing hardship to the farmers.