News

Kilo of rice might hit Rs 500, says farmers’ association leader

Published

4 years ago

2021/12/21

Prabath

By Sujeewa Tathsara and Aruna Bogahwatte

The price of a kilo of rice would exceed Rs 500 mark soon, National Organiser of the All Ceylon Agrarian Federation, Namal Karunaratne, told The Island yesterday.

Karunarante said that paddy cultivation during the current Maha season had suffered huge blows and it would inevitably result in massive decreases in the harvest.

“Currently the price of a kilo of rice varies but the average is between Rs 140 and 165. With a drop in the paddy yield, this will hit the Rs 500 mark sooner than expected. Some farmers who had fertiliser started cultivation but their cultivations would not yield a harvest that is sufficient to meet the market requirements,” Karunaratne said.

Karunaratne said that most farmers had invested between Rs 10,000 to 15,000 per acre of paddy cultivation. The government had promised to compensate for cultivation losses. The amount the government is going to pay is between Rs 5,000 to Rs 6,000. Most farmers are not ready to accept that amount, Karunaratne said.

Meanwhile, the United Paddy Farmers’ Association of Anuradhapura, Matale and Polonnaruwa Districts yesterday said that if the government failed to give them the required chemical fertiliser for the Maha season they would not sell their paddy harvest to the Paddy Marketing Board.

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Minister of Health of the Russian Federation attends the Sri Lanka–Russia Medical Forum

Published

5 mins ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

Mikhail Murashko, Minister of Health of the Russian Federation, officially visited the Russian House in Colombo to attend the Sri Lanka–Russia Medical Forum, where members of the Sri Lanka Russia Business Council and graduates from the Association of Sri Lankan Graduates from Socialist countries (ASLGSC) attended.

This historic gathering was graced by rectors and representatives from several world-class Russian medical institutions, including Kursk State Medical University, Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, and Tver State Medical University, among others.

The forum commenced with an address by Minister Murashko, during which Russian medical graduates in attendance raised pertinent questions regarding medical and pharmaceutical sector opportunities in Sri Lanka.

Levan Dzhagaryan, Ambassador of the Russian Federation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives, together with Madam Maria L. Popova, Counsellor of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka & the Maldives and Director of the Russian House in Colombo, graced the occasion. Both officials expressed strong support for continued collaboration and future initiatives between the two nations.

News

Members of Sri Lanka Cricket Transformation Committee Officially Appointed

Published

8 hours ago

2026/05/5

Priyan

The official appointment letters for the members of the newly established “Cricket Transformation Committee” (CTC) were handed over on Monday (04) by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.

The following members received their letters of appointment at the Ministry premises:

Sidath Wettimuny
Thushira Radella
Prakash Schaffter
Ms. Avanthi Colombage

The Ministry also noted that veteran cricketers Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara, who are key members of the committee, are currently overseas. Their official appointments will be formalised immediately upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.

The Cricket Transformation Committee has been mandated to oversee the administration and drive structural reforms within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in accordance with the powers vested in the Minister under the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973.