New paddy storage complex at Marandagahamula
Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa will initiate the
construction of a fully-equipped paddy storage and trading complex with
all facilities at Marandagahamula, Divulapitiya tomorrow. It is being
done to develop the Marandagahamula rice market – one of Sri Lanka’s
leading wholesale rice markets – in accordance with the Mahinda
Chinthana to stress the importance of the Divi Neguma program.
The construction work will begin on the advice of President Mahinda
Rajapaksa on a five acre-land at Marandagahamula town and is expected to
be completed within three months. In this connection President of the
Marandagahamula Rice Traders Association B. K. Ranjit has expressed the
association’s gratitude to the Government for helping overcome the
difficulties rice traders, producers and consumers faced over the past
35 years.
The two complexes are being built parallel to the Divi Neguma
national program aimed at eliminating poverty in Sri Lanka by
strengthening family units economically and socially with community
participation.
The project will directly benefit 150 rice traders and 125 small and
medium-scale rice mill owners and indirectly benefit millions of
consumers.
The quantity of rice sold at this marketing centre is five kilos per
day. Building the new storage and marketing complexes will provide a
long-term solution to the problems of rice traders, according to B. K.
Ranjit. It will also help provide the country with rice at reasonable
prices.
The project was launched following a request the Marandagahamula Rice
Traders Association made to Minister Rajapaksa in view of the
difficulties these businessmen have been experiencing.
They have been transporting rice from various parts of the island to
this centre over the past three decades. The problems they faced in
transporting, vehicle parking, purchasing rice daily and other matters
will be solved through this to make it possible to streamline rice
distribution throughout the country.
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