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.