Increase paddy purchases as harvesting begins: Farmers to Govt.

Paddy farmers called upon the Gover nment to increase paddy purchases with the harvest season coming into effect. The call came following a Cabinet decision to buy only 79,500 metric tonnes of paddy for the Maha season and pay Rs 38 for a kilo of Nadu and Rs 41 for Samba varieties.

All Island Farmers Federation Secretary T. B Sarath said the Government was slow in buying paddy from farmers due to harvesting in most areas not taking place at different times and also due to the adverse weather conditions.

He said that at present harvesting was taking place at Vavuniya and Ampara, with big-time millers buying paddy through brokers. They pay farmers Rs 34 a kilo, while the Government's purchase price is Rs 38-40.

United Rice Millers Association (URMA) President Mudith Perera said that even wet paddy was bought by large scale millers at cheaper rates.

He said the Government also slacks at purchasing paddy as it is unable to buy huge amounts. The big time millers exploit the situation and buy as much paddy as they can gather, and sell rice at higher prices.

However, during the Cabinet Press conference this week, Minister Ajith P. Perera said the Government only had space to store 5.5 metric tonnes of paddy from 17 rice- producing districts and it could not use taxpayers money only to buy paddy.

He explained the Government was buying paddy only as a measure to control market prices.

“The solution for this paddy issue doesn’ t lie with the Government's policy to buy paddy. The Government should take action against millers who are stockpiling paddy,” he said.