Middlemen jack up vegetable prices - Minister Chandrasena

by Mohammed NAALIR

The untoward interference of middlemen in the distribution of vegetables will be brought to an end, said Agrarian Services and Wildlife Minister S. M. Chandrasena.

He said that there are five Middlemen operating in the distribution process of vegetable from farmers to the consumers under hand and due to the acts of the middlemen the vegetables have gone up in price. Minister Chandrasena said his Ministry initiated a special program of distributing vegetable items to the consumers through regional Agrarian Service Departments at fair prices directly purchasing from farmers.

The Minister further said that the vegetable farmers and consumers will benefit in a massive scale through this new program.

The Agrarian Services Ministry started vegetable distribution Centres in Kotte, Malabe, Kolonnawa, Kesbewa, Homagama, Padukka, Kosgama and Kahathuduwa Regional Agrarian Service Departments. Moves are under-way to distribute other essential commodities to the consumers at fair prices in addition to vegetable distribution, Minister Chandrasena added.