The Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) has completed preparations to commence the purchase of paddy from the 2026 Yala cultivation season starting July 15, following the commencement of harvesting across the country.
Presidential Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake instructed officials of the Ministry of Agriculture to expedite the procurement process by clearing existing paddy stocks from PMB warehouses in collaboration with Lanka Sathosa, enabling facilities to accommodate the new harvest. The instructions were issued during a discussion on the 2026 Yala paddy procurement programme held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (07).
Officials noted that around 4,750 square kilometers of paddy land were cultivated during the 2026 Yala season and that favourable weather conditions throughout the season have resulted in a successful harvest.
It was also revealed that the Treasury has allocated Rs. 6 billion for the purchase of paddy during the 2026 Yala season. In addition, Rs. 10 billion has been made available through state banks as revolving credit facilities for small and medium-scale rice mill owners.
Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation, D.P. Wickramasinghe, stated that all arrangements have been made for the PMB to begin purchasing paddy from July 15, with the support of District Secretaries across the country.
He further pointed out that while the government had to request rice mill owners not to increase paddy prices in 2024, the current situation has shifted, with authorities now urging mill owners not to reduce prices. He attributed this change to the significant increase in paddy production achieved over the past one and a half years.
The Secretary also noted that in 2024 the government had appealed to farmers to sell their paddy to the state, but received a limited response. In contrast, many farmers are now waiting for the PMB to begin purchasing paddy.
During both the 2025 Yala and Maha seasons, the government purchased paddy worth Rs. 16 billion. At present, the PMB holds approximately 120,000 metric tonnes of paddy in storage. Of this, tenders have been called to release around 60,000 metric tonnes to the market, while another 20,000 metric tonnes are being supplied to Lanka Sathosa.
The meeting also discussed the possibility of leasing additional storage facilities from government institutions, including cooperative societies and the Department of Agrarian Development, as well as private sector warehouses, to meet storage requirements.
The discussion was attended by senior officials from the Presidential Secretariat, the Ministries of Agriculture and Trade, the Department of Fiscal Development, the Paddy Marketing Board, the Department of Agrarian Development, Lanka Sathosa, and District Secretaries from major paddy-growing districts, who joined both in person and virtually.
