FARMERS IN QUANDARY DUE TO GOVT’S DELAYED PURCHASE OF PADDY

The farmers from several areas in the Puttalam District complain that they are once again being exploited by brokers deployed by private paddy purchasers as proper procedures have not yet been implemented to purchase their paddy at the price fixed by the government.

Unscrupulous traders send their agents to the harvesting fields to buy paddy and offer the extremely low price of Rs.35 per Kilo . Amidst the low price the effect of the floods which prevailed during the season has reduced the harvest by almost 50 percent leaving the farmers in a very difficult situation.

Two members of the farmer families in these areas R.D. Jayalath and A.M. Somawathi said The frequent rain and flooding of paddy fields together with the wild elephants who enter their fields has adversely affected their harvest and this situation is aggravated due to their inability of obtaining a guaranteed price for their paddy. Farmers say they would not be able to pay back the loans obtained by them for the cultivation.

They also express their fear that paddy price will reduce further with the onset of the harvesting of paddy in Anamaduwa, Karuwalagaswewa, Kumbukkadawala, Pallama, Navagatthegama. Responding to the inquiries relating to the matter the Puttalam District Secretary H.M.S.T. Herath said that they will commence purchasing of paddy in the district from the Thabbowa and Inginimitiya schemes in February and they have by now emptied the stores after issuing all the paddy purchased in the Yala season to buy this season’s paddy production.

District Secretary H.M.S.T. Herath said that they will commence purchasing of paddy in February