Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera has instructed the President of the Paddy Marketing Board, lawyer Buddhika Iddamalgoda, to submit a report within 03 days regarding the disappearance of paddy stocks from 05 warehouses belonging to the Paddy Marketing Board.
A group of employees of the Paddy Marketing Board had complained to the Minister of Agriculture that there had been a loss of stock of paddy purchased from time to time in several seasons of 2020 and 2021.
The employees have told the minister that some officials of the head office of the Paddy Marketing Board as well as the regional offices are also involved in the disappearance of the paddy stocks. In Kurunegala district, 5 warehouses including Nikaveratiya, Polgahawela and Mahawa had disappeared and the value of those stocks was said to be 10 crore rupees.
In this regard, it is reported that a formal investigation is going to be started through the police and the criminal investigation department. Market sources say that rice stocks run by the Paddy Marketing Board will help control the price of rice in the country.