News
Rice shortage inevitable; grow mung and manioc – Millers’ Association
By Rathindra Kuruwita
Sri Lanka will have to import around 700,000 metric tons of rice as the paddy harvest will drop by 50%, this Yala season, United Rice Producers’ Association (URPA), Mudith Perera said.
Perera added that the Maha harvest had also dropped by around 50%.
“It was a mistake for the government to try to make the country switch over to organic farming overnight. Now, it has realised their blunder, but the damage is already done,” he said.
Perera said many farmers in major rice-growing areas had said they could not cultivate their fields on a commercial scale, this season, for want of fertiliser and diesel.
Therefore, there will be a food shortage and we will have to import between 600,000 and 700,000 metric tons of rice. And given our economic situation, I don’t know if we can manage without foreign aid,” he said.
Perera said that the best alternative was to cultivate mung or manioc, which could be grown without fertiliser.
“It’s not too late. There are food crops that could be harvested within a few months. The government has to decide whether it will take further loans and import food or grow food that can be grown with domestic inputs,” he said.
Perera said that there are around 1,000 small and medium-scale paddy mills in Sri Lanka and many of them had been closed down because there were not enough paddy stocks.
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.
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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
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