PMD rice outlet opens

By Ifham Nizam

Paddy Marketing Board (PMD) Rice outlets and Milco NLDB product outlets were opened yesterday at the Ministry of Agriculture premises.

Agriculture Ministry official yesterday said that a Milco product outlet and a mobile outlet of the National Livestock Development Board’s coconut, coconut oil and milk products outlets had also been opened there.

Minister of Agriculture, Wildlife and forest Conservation Mahinda Amaraweera attended the opening ceremony.

PMB Chairman Neil de Alwis said that they were marketing their rice to stabilise market prices and make available high-quality rice through CWE outlets.

He also said that the PMB would continue to purchase paddy during the Yala season.

Amaraweera said that he had taken over the Ministry of Agriculture at a very challenging time, and it would be impossible to overcome the challenges without working together.

“When I took over this Ministry, there was a big problem in the field of agriculture. About 475,000 hectares have been cultivated during the current season. Public servants will be able to purchase rice, Highland milk powder and other products at a discounted price at the PMB Rice outlet which opens today.”

When asked whether the PMB rice could be supplied regularly, the PMB Chairman answered in the affirmative. “We need the support of everyone to make this programme a success.”

Paddy was being harvested in areas such as Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and Ampara, and those stocks will help bring down the prices rices, the PMB chief said.