Ministry of Agriculture Begins Paddy Stock Survey

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Ministry of Agriculture has initiated a survey of all paddy stocks stored across Sri Lanka.

Ministry Secretary M.P.N.M. Wickramasinghe announced that the survey will take place today and tomorrow, with a team including officers from the Consumer Affairs Authority assigned to oversee the process.

Special inspections will focus on paddy warehouses in the Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, and Ampara districts, known for their substantial paddy storage.

Both small and medium-scale, as well as large-scale paddy mill owners' warehouses, will also be inspected.

M.P.N.M. Wickramasinghe said that the study of the survey will be reported to the President the following day. 

He added that the Ministry has decided to maintain safety stocks by purchasing the paddy harvest from the high season through small and medium-scale paddy millers. 

The Paddy Marketing Board is also planning to acquire a safety stock of 400,000 metric tons of paddy.

During recent discussions between the President and large-scale paddy mill owners, an agreement was reached to release rice in the market below the control price. 

However, the Secretary noted that market surveys indicate this has not yet occurred.

While rice mill owners claim a shortage of Nadu rice, M.P.N.M. Wickramasinghe pointed out that 78 percent of the last season's paddy cultivation has been done with Nadu.