Posted by Onlanka Information Desk on August 11, 2026 – 6:34 pm
Minister Ok.D. Lal Kantha / President Anura Kumara Dissanayake
Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake held talks with small and medium-scale paddy mill house owners as we speak (August 11) on a brand new mechanism to assist them buy paddy from farmers at a minimal worth of Rs. 120 per kilogramme.
The assembly was held on the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo this morning to debate acquiring the contribution of small and medium-scale companies to take care of a secure paddy worth and guarantee farmers obtain a good worth for his or her produce.
In the course of the assembly, the mill house owners briefed the President on difficulties they face in finishing up their operations, together with issues in buying paddy and coping with banks beneath the Odapana mortgage scheme.
They proposed establishing a mechanism to offer funds for paddy purchases by way of District Secretaries or Divisional Secretaries.
The mill house owners stated they’ve adequate capability to buy paddy and that such a system may assist preserve a secure worth for farmers whereas additionally guaranteeing a good worth for shoppers.
Minister of Commerce, Commerce, Meals Safety and Cooperative Improvement Wasantha Samarasinghe stated discussions can be held with District Secretaries on introducing a mechanism to offer loans to small and medium-scale companies by way of District Secretaries for paddy purchases.
He stated paddy ought to be bought from farmers at a minimal worth of Rs. 120 per kilogramme, whereas the utmost amount bought from a person farmer ought to be 4,000 kilogrammes per hectare.
The Minister additionally pressured that correct data ought to be maintained on the portions of paddy bought and the farmers from whom the purchases are made, including that the data can be often inspected.
The proposed mortgage scheme is predicted to be accessible to at present registered small and medium-scale mill house owners.
The funds offered beneath the scheme have to be repaid to the Authorities after the rice is offered. The Authorities additionally expects to offer related concessions throughout future seasons to mill house owners who efficiently full the programme.
It was additional acknowledged that the cooperation of all small and medium-scale companies can be required to make sure the success of the programme and that it ought to be handled as a accountable endeavor geared toward safeguarding the nation’s meals safety.
Officers of the Ministry of Finance additionally defined points that had arisen because of the failure to repay loans offered beneath related programmes up to now.
Underneath a earlier system, the Authorities offered loans for the acquisition of paddy and later bought the paddy itself.
The mill house owners welcomed the introduction of a mortgage scheme for paddy purchases on the directions of the President.
They expressed confidence that, if the brand new mechanism continues, many small and medium-scale paddy mill house owners who’ve withdrawn from the trade may return to the sector, whereas farmers would have a greater alternative to obtain a good worth for his or her paddy.
Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Ok.D. Lal Kantha; Minister of Commerce, Commerce, Meals Safety and Cooperative Improvement Wasantha Samarasinghe; Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Financial Improvement Dr Harshana Suriyapperuma; Paddy Advertising Board Chairman Manjula Pinnalanda; officers of the Ministry of Finance; and small and medium-scale paddy mill house owners attended the assembly.
The mill house owners represented districts together with Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Badulla, Kandy, Ratnapura, Puttalam, Hambantota, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara.
