Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2021-07-05

Implementation of Paddy Purchasing Programme in Yala Season 2021

- A paddy harvest of 1,500,000 is expected to be received during this yala season. Out of this harvest, the Paddy Marketing Board has planned to purchase a considerable quantity of paddy. Therefore, the Cabinet approved the proposal made by the Minister of Agriculture to implement the paddy purchasing programme for yala season 2021 as follows:

* To purchase paddy from farmers under guaranteed prices of Rs.50/- for one kilo of Nadu, Rs.52/- for one kilo of Samba and Rs.55/- for one kilo of Kiri Samba.

* To pay Rs. 1.50 per 1kg of paddy for farmers for processing and transportation when purchasing quality paddy directly from farmers in addition to the guaranteed price.

* To pay Rs. 1.50 per 1kg of paddy to the farmer organizations for processing and transportation when purchasing quality paddy from farmers in difficult areas through farmer organizations in addition to the guaranteed price.

* to pay farmers having deducted the guaranteed price by Rs. 8 per kilo of paddy with 14% - 22% moisture, when purchasing paddy through Paddy Mill owners and farmer organizations that have drying facilities, and to pay Rs 4/- per kilo of paddy to dry and prepare such stocks and to pay Rs. 2/- for transportation to such mill owners and farmer organizations.

* Making provisions for the purchase of harvest in 2021 Yala season to the Paddy Marketing Board with the intervention of the General Treasury and the District Secretaries/ Government Agents.