Sathosa buys vegetables directly from farmers

Lanka Sathosa had purchased 100,000kgs of various kinds of vegetables directly from the farmers during the last four days, the Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade said yesterday.

These vegetables had been purchased from areas such as Thambuttegama, Dambulla, and Navula, it was revealed. Plans were afoot to purchase vegetables from Nuwara-Eliya as well.

According to ministry officials, these vegetables are now being sold at select Lanka Sathosa outlets as an initial step to make them available to consumers at affordable prices. Subsequently, this programme of buying vegetables directly from the farmers will be expanded, and all Lanka Sathosa outlets in the country will have reasonably priced vegetables for selling.

The decision to purchase vegetables directly from the

These vegetables are now being sold at selected Lanka Sathosa outlets as an initial step to make them available to consumers at affordable prices

farmers was made to control the rising prices. The Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade is of the opinion that the involvement of middlemen in the market is the cause of current high prices. The ministry has, therefore, decided to purchase vegetables directly from the farmers leaving out two layers of middlemen.