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Despite floods:
No rice shortage or price hike - Agriculture Minister
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Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena
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There would not be a shortage of rice or an increase in prices due to
the recent floods, said Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Yapa
Abeywardena.
He said the Government has invested Rs.5 billion on paddy storage
facilities at the Paddy Marketing Board and added that there are ample
stocks.
"Paddy will be sold at the Government-guaranteed price of Rs. 30 a
kilo. The price of rice will not be increased unless those who try to
manipulate the market do so", the Minister said.
"Flood-affected families in the Polonnaruwa district have returned to
their homes and are receiving support from the Government to commence
cultivation for the Yala season", he said.
Flood waters have receded in most parts of the district and many of
the affected families have returned to resume normal life.
"The Ministry of Agriculture has provided seed paddy and is assisting
farmers in the preparation of land to resume cultivation", the Minister
said.
Around 10,000 families were affected and large acres of paddy land
submerged by the incessant rains that wreaked havoc in the East and the
North Central Province.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, around 12,000 families in
Batticaloa and about 8,000 families in the Ampara district were affected
by the North-East monsoon.
"The damage to paddy land in the Polonnaruwa and Ampara districts is
around 10 percent while losses to cultivation in the Batticaloa district
have not been assessed yet", he said.
Disaster relief and restoration work in the flood-affected areas are
in progress and the number of recipients is now dwindling.Relief items
have been flowing to disaster-hit areas in the country since the late
onset of the monsoon that devastated farmland, property and caused loss
of life.
"There is no interim zone for farmers to start cultivation. We have
provided seed paddy for the Yala season which would be bountiful as all
tanks are full", the Minister said. He said there would not be any
shortage as steps have been taken to restore electricity free to all
affected families and expedite insurance claims. - LF
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