News
Farmers demand fair price for their paddy, threaten street protests
Paddy farmers have warned the government that they will launch a mass protest campaign, like Aragalaya, unless a certified price for their produce is announced forthwith. Addressing a media briefing yesterday, Ravindra Jagoda of the Rajarata Govi Sanvidana Ekamuthuwa expressed disappointment at the government’s actions. He noted that the government had reportedly decided on a certified price of Rs 115 per kilogram for nadu paddy, but it was not adequate.
President of the United Rice Millers’ Association Muditha Perera told the media yesterday that the government was dilly-dallying, unable to announce the certified prices for paddy it had decided—Rs. 115 for nadu and Rs. 120 for samba. The Cabinet was expected to announce the prices shortly, he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne said at an NPP rally over the weekend that the government would work out a fair price shortly and ensure that the paddy farmers would get a 30% profit for their produce.
Farmers are demanding at least Rs. 140 per kilo of paddy. They are complaining that rice millers purchase their paddy at low prices, ranging from Rs. 80 to Rs. 100. They cannot even recover the production costs by selling paddy at those prices, they say.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has criticised the government for not ensuring a certified price for paddy. Speaking at a public rally in Kurunegala, over the weekend, Premadasa said the government had let down the farmers badly, having obtained their votes to win elections. He urged the government to announce a fair price for paddy and provide the subsidised fertiliser without delay. “They promised to bring in new legislation to ensure that farmers would get fair prices and promised Rs 150 per kilo of paddy,” he said. “But in the midst of the harvesting season, the government hasn’t declared a certified price.”
Premadasa said that although the government claimed to have allocated Rs 5 billion for paddy purchases, it had not instructed the Paddy Marketing Board to buy paddy from farmers.
He also raised concerns about several red-labelled containers recently released from the Colombo Port without Customs inspection. “Who authorised their release? The government insists that there has been NO wrongdoing and that the containers carried no illegal goods, but how they can make such claims without even inspecting the containers,” he said.
SJB MP and Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance Dr. de Silva told the media yesterday that he believed that the certified price should be raised to Rs 130 rupees per kilo of rice.
In terms of the provisions of the Establishments Code on payment of festival advance to government officers, there’s a possibility of obtaining rupees 10,000/- as an advance for celebrating festivals of Theipongal, Ramazan, Sinhala and Hindu New Year, Wesak, Deepavali, and Christmas as well as for pilgrimages (Sri Paada pilgrimage and Hajj pilgrimage).
Provisions have been given to recover the said advance in 08 installments or if required earlier without interest. It has been proposed by the Budget 2026 to increase the said festival advance up to rupees 15,000/-.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local governments to revise the relevant provisions so that the festival advance can be increased up to rupees 15,000/- .
As per the approval given by the cabinet meeting held on 02-06-2025, action is being taken at present to offer the underutilized lands/properties of the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation, the Janatha Etate Development Board, and the Elkaduwa Plantation Company which are under the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure which have been identified under stage one to suitable investors.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Plantations and Community Infrastructure to provide following lands/properties on a lease basis to the suitable investors for optimal utilization following the prescribed procurement procedure.
• underutilized lands/properties identified under stage two owned by the Sri Lanka State Plantation Corporation, the Janatha Estate Development Board, and the Elkaduwa Plantation
Company,
• The Mawarala watte land and the Tea factory 40.48 hectares in extent, located in Matara District belonging to the Tea Shakthi Fund.
• The underutilized land of 1,541 hectares in extent of Kondachchi Estate is enjoyed by the Sri Lanka Cashew Corporation.
The drafting of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy has commenced with the objective of equitable distribution of the benefits of the fisheries industry and the sustainable management of fisheries and aquaculture. This policy has been updated from time to time according to current requirements. However, steps have not been taken to obtain the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for that purpose.
According to the policy declaration of the present government, ‘Vistas of Prosperity and Splendor’ the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy has been redrafted, updating the aforementioned policy in line with the economic and development objectives of the government.
The recommendations of the Department of National Planning have been received for the drafted policy.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Marine
Resources to implement the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy, integrating it with other relevant policies.
Festival advance for government officers to be increased
Providing underutilized lands/properties to suitable investors for optimal utilization.
Implementation of the National Fisheries and Aquaculture Policy
Expressions of Interest called to develop selected locations within the Pelawatte Sugar Factory premises
Minimum purchasing price of Samba and Kiri Samba paddy incresed
Showers in the Northern, North-central, Uva, Western, Eastern, Sabaragamuwa, North-western and Central provinces and Galle and Matara districts
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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