News
PMB steps up paddy purchase
… buys 844 MT within three days
by Ifham Nizam
The Paddy Marketing Board (PMD) has purchased 844 metric tons of paddy, within the three days, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera says.The Minister said that farmers were in great difficulty because some rice millers were buying the paddy crop of the Yala season at very low prices. Therefore, the Ministry of Agriculture had been compelled to intervene, to purchase paddy through the PMB.
The Minister said, “Currently, the price of one kilo of paddy, in the market, has come down to between Rs. 80 and 90. Therefore, steps were taken to buy rice, from the farmers, at a minimum price, and, accordingly, the Paddy Marketing Board will buy Nadu at 120 rupees per kilo, Samba paddy at 125 rupees and Keeri Samba paddy at 130 rupees per kilo.
The prices were approved by the Cabinet, following a request by Minister Amaraweera; the government agreed to provide Rs. 2,000 million for the first phase of paddy purchase.Accordingly, in the last three days, ending on Saturday, the PMB had bought 844,960 kilos of paddy or 844 MT of paddy, PMB Chairman Neil Alwis said.
The amount of paddy purchased on Saturday (20) is 303 MT. About 73 paddy warehouses in the districts where paddy harvesting has been completed or, is on, are still open today for purchasing paddy.Agriculture Minister Amaraweera has instructed the PMB to continue purchasing paddy at the prices recommended by the government.
Following the conclusion of bilateral discussions between President Anura Kumara Disanayake and Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, official-level talks between the delegations of Sri Lanka and India commenced this morning (05) at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.
Representing the Government of Sri Lanka were Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath; Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Anil Jayantha; Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake; Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, along with other senior officials.
The Indian delegation included Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and His Excellency Santosh Jha, High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka, along with several other senior officials of the Government of India.
Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who arrived in Sri Lanka on the invitation of President Anura Kumara Disanayake on Friday [04] night, visited the Presidential Secretariat this morning (05).
The Indian Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake upon his arrival at the Presidential Secretariat.
Prime Minister Modi is currently on a state visit to Sri Lanka, reaffirming the theme “Friendship of Centuries — Commitment to a Prosperous Future” which symbolises the longstanding ties between Sri Lanka and India. The Indian Premier is scheduled to remain in the country until tomorrow (06).
[PMD]
The official welcoming ceremony for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was held this morning (05) at the Independence Square in Colombo.
On arrival at the Independence Square the Indian Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by President Anura Kumara Disanayake.
Discussions between Sri Lankan and Indian delegations at the presidential secretariat
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Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi arrives at the presidential secretariat
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