News

PMB hasn’t purchased Yala yield at all – State Minister

Published

4 years ago

2022/10/13

Sahan Weerasooriya

‘Treasury helpless, solution not in sight’

By Shamindra Ferdinando

State Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya yesterday (12) admitted that the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) hadn’t purchased any paddy for want of funds.

The SLFPer said that the economic crisis was so acute the Finance Ministry couldn’t intervene though it realised the need to address the issue urgently.

The Kegalle District MP said so when The Island sought an explanation regarding the failure on the part of the government to step in to re-assure the farmers of its commitment for their welfare.

Siyambalapitiya said that in spite of a series of talks, involving President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Premier Dinesh Gunawardena, Bank of Ceylon, People’s Bank and the PMD over the past several weeks the issue at hand couldn’t be settled.

Responding to another query, MP Siyambalapitiya said that the whole setup was in turmoil.

The government lacked the wherewithal to intervene on behalf of the PMB, the State Minister said, adding that the Treasury was in the process of settling Rs 2 bn the government enterprise owed the Bank of Ceylon and the People’s Bank.

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera was not available for comment.

The Island raised the issue with Dr. Suren Batagoda, senior presidential advisor on food security. When The Island pointed out that the PMB hadn’t bought paddy at all though the government repeatedly assured the public of food security and sufficient fertiliser and agro chemicals for the forthcoming Maha season, Dr. Batagoda said that they were aware of the situation.

Dr. Batagoda asserted that even if the PMB received sufficient financial backing, it couldn’t purchase at least 5% of the stocks available in the market. The presidential aide explained the need and the responsibility on the part of the government to create an environment for the private sector to manage the paddy purchasing scheme.

The PMB couldn’t intervene in the market in a decisive manner therefore it would be better to facilitate the private sector to meet the need, Dr. Batagoda said. The presidential aide emphasized all stakeholders should recognize the ground situation. “We have to be realistic. Better to educate the public and take tangible measures to properly supervise private sector-led initiative than funding the PMB,” Dr. Batagoda said. The former power sector official also questioned the efficiency of the PMB in comparison to the private sector.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe, on Sept. 13, established a special mechanism comprising four committees to ensure food security.

State Minister Siyambalapitiya also admitted that they hadn’t been able to solve the issue over Rs 1.2 bn PMB fixed deposit at the Bank of Ceylon. The PMB has declined to release its fixed deposit to finance purchasing of paddy.

Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) MP Rohini Kaviratne told The Island that the government owed an explanation how it intended to ensure food security if the farmers’ produce were not purchased. In the absence of the state intervention, the private sector-dominated paddy market wouldn’t be sensitive to the difficulties experienced by hapless farmers.

Lawmaker Kaviratne asked whether the government was quietly planning to stop purchasing paddy. If that happened, what would be the fate of the PMB, the former UNP MP asked, urging the government to make its position clear on the issue at hand.

The Matale District MP said that those who expected a system change in the wake of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s ouster in July must have been surprised by the way the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa administration handled the economy.

The top SJB spokesperson said that the government seemed to have allowed a group of politically influential private sector millers to take over the entire paddy purchasing scheme. The government inaction would discourage farmers, and those who speak of exceptional yield at the forthcoming Maha season had conveniently forgotten the farmers were struggling to sell their produce.

The MP alleged that the government was busy destroying the agriculture sector. The incumbent leadership obviously followed Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s destructive strategies, she said. The former President denied farmers fertiliser and agro chemicals and the present lot won’t purchase their produce as they were being exploited by large scale private millers, the SJB MP said.

All News Advertisement

Related Topics:Finance Minister Ranjith Siyambalapitiya MP Rohini kavirathne

Up Next

Budget 2023: Focus on welfare

Don't Miss

Veteran writer receives D.Lit.

Click to comment

Latest News

President meets senior officials of the Urban Development Authority

Published

1 hour ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

A discussion between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and senior officials of the Urban Development Authority (UDA) was held this afternoon (18) at the Presidential Secretariat.

The meeting focused extensively on new development projects planned by the Urban Development Authority. The President emphasised the need to ensure that the budgetary allocations made for these projects in the current year are utilised effectively within the same financial year.

Detailed discussions were also held on projects planned to be implemented jointly by multiple institutions, including the importance of holding consultations with all relevant agencies to reach final decisions and the need to clearly define responsibilities for each institution in both implementation and maintenance phases of the projects.

Attention was drawn to key initiatives such as the Kelani River flood control project, water management projects in Colombo city and the Beira Lake restoration project. The need for a dedicated programme for low-income housing in areas such as Ratmalana and Moratuwa was also highlighted. During the discussion, Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development Bimal Rathnayake underscored the importance of introducing a structured management framework for the effective coordination of certain projects.

Deputy Minister of Urban Development, Eranga Gunasekara, Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, Highways and Urban Development, Senior Professor Kapila C.K. Perera, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority (UDA), M.G. Hemachandra and the Heads representing the Urban Settlement Development Authority (USDA), Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation (SLLDC), National Physical Planning Department (NPPD) and the Condominium Management Authority (CMA) were also present at the meeting.

(PMD)

News

CEAT Kelani Branch Inter-Company Employees’ Union makes donation to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund

Published

1 hour ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

The Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the Kelaniya Branch of CEAT Sri Lanka has made a financial donation of Rs. 1,148,000.00, a day’s salary of its members to the ‘Rebuilding Sri Lanka’ Fund established to support the restoration of livelihoods and the rebuilding of areas affected by cyclone Ditwah.

Secretary of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, D.G.S.D. Navaratne, handed over the donation to the Chief of Staff to the President, Prabhath Chandrakeerthi at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (18).

Treasurer of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union of the CEAT Kelani Branch, Y.P.I.C. Karunathilaka, together with members of the Executive Committee, were also present on the occasion.

(PMD)

Latest News

Prime Minister off to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum

Published

3 hours ago

2026/05/18

Priyan

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya departed on an official visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister is scheduled to participate in several high-level academic and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening cooperation in the fields of education, development studies, research collaboration, and international partnerships.

As part of the visit, the Prime Minister will meet with Ms.Bridget Phillipson, Secretary of State for Education of the United Kingdom, at the UK Department for Education, to discuss areas of cooperation in education and related sectors. She is also expected to meet Ms.Yvette Cooper, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, for discussions on matters of bilateral interest and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.

In addition, the Prime Minister is expected to meet Ms.Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, on the sidelines of the 22nd Annual Commonwealth Education Forum and the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) 2026 Board of Governors Meeting.

During the visit, the Prime Minister will attend a public event at the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and she will also take part in the ceremony marking the 60th Anniversary of the Institute of Development Studies. The Prime Minister is also scheduled to address a session at the Oxford School of Global and Area Studies at the University of Oxford, followed by a question-and-answer session with scholars and students.

The visit is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s engagement with academic institutions, international development partners, and Commonwealth member states, particularly in the areas of education, research, policy dialogue, and capacity building.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]