Speaking at a meeting of the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, the Minister stated that around 120,000 metric tonnes of rice varieties that can serve as alternatives to samba and keeri samba had already been imported in April.
According to the Parliamentary Communications Department, Minister Samarasinghe noted that the Co-operative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) is actively engaged in purchasing paddy for processing as well as procuring potatoes from local farmers.
He further revealed that potatoes are currently being purchased at Rs. 220 per kilogram and will be made available to consumers through SATHOSA outlets across the country.
The Minister also said that the CWE has earmarked Rs. 1 billion to upgrade infrastructure facilities, including paddy drying and storage systems, with the aim of strengthening food security and improving agricultural supply management.
During the discussions, representatives of farming organizations raised concerns about the challenges faced by the agriculture sector. They claimed that paddy farmers are experiencing growing difficulties under current conditions.
Chairman of the Anuradhapura District Farmers’ Association, Sunil Rajapaksha, warned that farmers are preparing to stage protests in Colombo, alleging that existing policies have negatively affected the farming community.
Representatives from several other farmer groups also highlighted the pressures faced by cultivators, pointing to increased fuel prices and rising production costs as major concerns.
