Posted by ONLANKA Newsroom on June 6, 2026 – 7:32 pm
Dudley Sirisena
Businessman Dudley Sirisena says he’s disillusioned with the federal government’s resolution to import rice, claiming it has contributed to a pointy drop in paddy costs and made it troublesome for farmers to promote their harvest.
Talking on the problem, Sirisena stated the assured costs introduced for paddy are Rs. 120 per kilogram for Nadu, Rs. 125 for Samba, and Rs. 130 for Keeri Samba. Nevertheless, he argued that these costs don’t adequately replicate the decrease yields and decrease earnings generated from Samba and Keeri Samba cultivation in comparison with Nadu.
In accordance with Sirisena, many farmers have progressively moved away from cultivating Samba and Keeri Samba as a result of the costs supplied aren’t enticing sufficient. Consequently, a bigger variety of farmers now give attention to Nadu cultivation, resulting in an imbalance in manufacturing.
He defined that when Nadu manufacturing will increase considerably, its market value falls, whereas the opposite rice varieties develop into scarce and are offered at a lot increased costs. He stated that is the state of affairs presently being skilled available in the market.
Sirisena confused that rice merchants merely buy obtainable paddy, course of it, and promote it, and wouldn’t have the authority to affect cultivation patterns or agricultural coverage. He stated resolving such points is the duty of policymakers.
Responding to a query on whether or not the present state of affairs may create future issues within the paddy sector, Sirisena stated there’s already an issue, as farmers are struggling to promote their paddy.
He famous that round 157,000 tonnes of rice have been imported into the nation and stated that if these imports had not taken place, farmers would doubtless have been capable of promote their paddy at costs between Rs. 125 and Rs. 130 per kilogram.
As an alternative, he stated, paddy costs have fallen to round Rs. 90 to Rs. 100 per kilogram, leaving many farmers underneath stress.
“I’m very disillusioned about that. That’s all I’ve to say,” Sirisena added.
