Paddy stocks sufficientPMB assures public

Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) yesterday assured the public that rice would not be imported for at least two months as there was a buffer stock of 200,000 metric tons at the moment while the cultivations in the North and East would also play a key role in reaching this decision.

PMB Chairman K. D. Jayasinghe said that the current stock of paddy would be sufficient for two months while an additional stock which was purchased by the board would also increase the available rice stocks.

Mr. Jayasinghe said that the Board had purchased 2000 metric tons of paddy from various parts of the country during the current Yala season. He however acknowledged the fact that the harvest that are come from the Central Province had dropped considerably this year due to the prevailing drought. The highest production had been recorded from the North Central Province during the past years. He said the harvest had been drastically dropped in the areas that were affected by the drought.

The PMB Chairman however confirmed that considerable stocks of paddy were being received from the North and the East while adding that an increased amount of paddy had been received from Killinochchi District in the North and from Ampara in the East. Mr. Jayasinghe said that 200metric tons of paddy had been purchased from the Killinochchi District yesterday alone. A considerable stock had been received from Kurunegala District as well, he said.