Minister of Agriculture, Land, Livestock and Irrigation K.D. Lal Kantha says that steps will be taken to blacklist private mill owners who agree to purchase paddy at the guaranteed price set by the government, obtain concessional credit facilities for the same and then break that promise. He said this while participating in a discussion with farmers’ associations.
The Minister, who further expressed his views there, pointed out that since the storage facilities available at the Paddy Marketing Board are limited, the government has taken steps to provide ‘Odapana Loans’ to the private sector for purchasing paddy.
He stated that mill owners who receive government assistance should purchase paddy from farmers at the guaranteed price announced by the government, and that there are reports that some people are purchasing paddy at less than that price. He stated that it is a fraudulent act and that businessmen who engage in such activities will lose the opportunity to do business with the government in the future.
The Minister stated that the farmer should be given a fair profit and that intermediaries should not be allowed to exploit the farmer or the consumer in earning their profit.
The Minister expressed his regret that despite the saying “the farmer is king”, they are still in a poor state, and also stated that the government’s objective is to change that situation.
The Minister also pointed out that the income per acre from maize cultivation is higher compared to paddy cultivation, and maize has now become the second major crop in the country.