Paddy purchasing prices dropped, complain Sri Lankan farmers

The farmers in Sri Lanka's major rice cultivation districts complain that the lack of a proper programme by the government to purchase paddy has caused sharp decline in purchasing prices.


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.