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Plans to halt rice imports until December

02 Aug 2022

  • Agri Ministry says low paddy price for farmers due to surplus
  • Minister to seek Cabinet approval for halt
BY Buddhika Samaraweera The Ministry of Agriculture has planned to suspend the importation of rice until December, 2022, as there is a risk of farmers not getting a sufficient price for paddy due to the excessive import of rice, and the existence of sufficient stocks of rice in the country. Noting that the harvesting of the Yala cultivation season has commenced now, an official of the Ministry said that due to the further importation of rice, certain rice mill owners may buy paddy from farmers at cheaper prices. In order to prevent farmers from not getting a fair price for paddy, he said that the Ministry has planned to suspend the importation of rice until December.  “The farmers have cultivated paddy amidst great difficulties, especially due to the shortage of fertiliser and other agrochemicals. Therefore, they should be given a fair price for the paddy. However, when the rice is overstocked, the mill owners may try to buy paddy at cheaper prices. “As a solution to this, the Ministry has planned to suspend the importation of rice, and Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera is to submit a proposal to the Cabinet of Ministers, seeking its approval for the suspension." He further said that the Ministry has suggested to the Government to use the amount of foreign exchange spent on the importation of rice, for the purchase of inputs for the agriculture sector such as weeders, seeders, sprayers, tractors, and solar-powered water motors. Meanwhile, Amaraweera yesterday (1) requested the relevant parties to take steps to cultivate 60,000 hectares (ha) of maize in the coming Maha season. He said that the Ministry would provide all the necessary facilities such as the registration of all tractors as agricultural inputs, the provision of the fuel quota, and land for the maize cultivation. Sri Lanka's agriculture sector, mainly paddy cultivation, has suffered a major setback since April 2021, with the Cabinet decision to ban the import and use of chemical fertilisers and agrochemicals, following a proposal to this effect made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. Since then, farmers have been charging that they have not been able to get the expected harvest, despite the use of organic fertilisers provided by the Government. Given this situation, the Government allowed the importation of rice, and the then Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that he personally disliked the Government's decision to import rice as the move could reduce the price paid for paddy farmers.


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