The minister made the remarks during a meeting of the Mahaweli Water Management Committee held on Friday (13).
Lal Kantha said Sri Lanka currently produces only about 50 percent of its maize requirement domestically, with the remaining demand met through imports.
Due to limited land available for maize cultivation, he said the country should instead focus on increasing rice production.
The minister noted that the government does not plan to expand paddy cultivation land but urged farmers to follow cultivation guidelines issued by the Department of Agriculture to improve yields.
He also stressed the need to improve post-harvest management, including proper paddy drying and storage, to prevent large volumes from entering the market at once. Ensuring fair income for farmers and strengthening national food security remain key priorities, he said, noting that farmers would be discouraged from cultivation if they are not guaranteed a reasonable profit.
Lal Kantha acknowledged that the intervention of the **Paddy Marketing Board** has been limited due to constraints related to storage capacity and staffing.
He also thanked farmers and state officials for resuming cultivation after crop damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah.
The minister further called on farmers to increase the cultivation of Keeri Samba rice, noting that the country still imports the variety to meet local demand.
