The Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera have instructed the Chairman of the Paddy Marketing board ( PMB) Buddika Iddamalgoda to close the warehouses of the paddy marketing board at the end of the month.
The 39 PMB warehouses were opened when the government commenced purchasing of paddy of Yala season cultivation.
PMB took steps to buy a kilogram of Nadu paddy for Rs 95, Samba at Rs 100 and Keeri Samba for Rs 110, when prices of paddy was decreasing by Rs 60 to 70. Due to the government’s move the private sector too increased their paddy purchasing prices by Rs 110.
Minister Amaraweera said that due to this move the farmers were able to obtain a good price for their harvest.
He added that the farmers did not sell paddy to the PMB, and sold the paddy to private sector for higher prices. PMB had purchased 2.5 million kg of paddy by spending Rs 500 million obtained from Agricultural Trust Fund at 08 percent interest. However the government have only spend an amount of 300 million rupees as subsides has to be given fertilizer such as 20,000 Rs per hectare and Rs 40,000 per two hectares of paddy. Even the TSP fertilizer also provided free of charge for Yala Season.
The minister pointed out that as the farmers have not sell the paddy under paddy marketing board, there is no point of keeping the stores open when the Yala season is drawing to a close. The Paddy Marketing Board has decided to close those warehouses after the 30th of this month as the operating charges are increasing and the farmers are not selling paddy to the Paddy Marketing Board.
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