Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has accused the government of misleading farmers over paddy pricing and failing to deliver on its election promises. He called for immediate action to ensure a fair price of Rs. 140 per kilogram, in line with commitments made during the election.
In a statement, Premadasa criticized the government, particularly Agriculture Minister Lal Kantha and Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne, for repeatedly changing their stance on paddy pricing. He noted that Karunaratne initially promised a guaranteed price with a 30% increase in production cost but later backtracked, saying only a minimum price would be set. By January 27, he claimed no price was necessary as farmers were selling their harvest without issue.
Premadasa warned that the lack of a government-set price had left farmers vulnerable to middlemen, who were purchasing wet paddy at Rs. 80-95 per kilo and dry paddy at around Rs. 100, while large-scale mill owners were buying at higher rates. He accused the government of deliberately delaying price announcements to benefit mill owners, while farmers were left with no choice but to sell at lower prices.
He further condemned statements by the Minister and Deputy Minister of Agriculture, which he described as threats against farmers. He alleged that the government was trying to force farmers to surrender part of their harvest in exchange for fertilizer subsidies.
“The government’s strategy is clear: delay setting a minimum price until most farmers have already sold their stock, then claim they provided a fair price while saving Rs. 5 billion at the farmers’ expense,” Premadasa stated.
The opposition leader also accused the government of spreading misinformation through pro-government farmer groups, falsely suggesting that farmers were voluntarily selling to private buyers.
Premadasa demanded that the government immediately implement the promised paddy pricing mechanism, ensuring state competition with private buyers. He also called for the fulfillment of the additional Rs. 2 per kilo commitment made during the election. (NewsWire)
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