No programme to purchase paddy; Price declines worry the farmers in Sri Lanka

(August 08, 2010) The farmers in Sri Lanka’s major rice cultivation districts complain that the lack of proper programme of the government to purchase paddy has caused sharp decline in purchasing prices at Yala season. They also point out that the hyped state programme for purchasing paddy is a sham.

The farmers point out that the price of a kilo of Nadu rice is between Rs. 15 and 17 while the government registered price is Rs. 28 per kilo.

The price of a kilo of Samba rice is Rs. 18 and 20 while the government registered price is Rs. 30 per kilo, farmers of Polonnaruwa say.

The private traders have taken advantage of the inefficiency of the Paddy Marketing Board to bring down the prices.

Meanwhile the Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board K.B. Jayasinghe said that the paddy stores in Polonnaruwa district is still stocked with the harvest of the last season and steps have been taken to shift them to food stores in Veyangoda and Divulapitiya in the Western Province.

Posted in Government registered price for paddy , Paddy Marketing Board , Rice