News
Kilo of rice might hit Rs 500, says farmers’ association leader
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.
News
Establishment of an Institutional Framework to Inagurate Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority
Policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 08.06.2026 to establish the Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority for identification and
execution of a formal and long – lasting remedy to secure the central hills including the upper hydro catchment areas enabling them to sustain amidst extreme weather conditions
due to natural calamities and human activities as well as to be used for the sustainable development of the country.
Accordingly, a concept paper has been prepared including
institutional structure, activities, powers, active subject area as well as administrative and coordination mechanism for the proposed authority by an expert technical committee appointed by the Secretary to the President.
Based on the said concept paper, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the President to instruct the Legal Draftsman to prepare a draft bill including legal provisions required for the establishment of Upper Hydro Catchment Areas Management Authority.
News
Introduction of Flora and Fauna (Regulation of actions of the Indigenous Community within the nominated areas) Regulations
With the objective of securing the traditional livelihood and the eco system of the indigenous community, it has been recognized the necessity of introducing a formal regulation methodology to secure their engagement in livelihood activities by being more sensitive to the existing laws.
Thereby, the Fauna and Flora (regularizing) regulations under the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance (Authority 469) have been prepared so that nominated activities within the prescribed area to a member of the indigenous community
who has been registered for securing the rights acquired from law or custom or usage or traditional stance to execute an act within a certain state land that is fundamental to the survival of the indigenous community permission can be granted
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Environment to publish the said regulations in the government gazette notification and thereby submit to the Parliament for its concurrence.
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