Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera has called upon President Ranil Wickremesinghe not to permit the import of rice since there is no need for it.
A better harvest was reaped during the past Yala season by the farmers. About 800,000 hectares of paddy lands will be cultivated for the Maha season. Nearly, 675,600 hectares of land have already been cultivated with paddy, the Minister told the Sunday Observer.
He said, “I strongly believe that there would not be any shortage of rice by next year. A Government Gazette notification will be issued soon on the directive of President Ranil Wickremesinghe banning rice imports.”
Amaraweera said nearly 675,288 metric tons of rice were imported to Sri Lanka till the end of September this year at a cost of Rs. 7.3 million.
Sufficient stocks of urea fertiliser were given to farmers for the Yala season and the anticipated quantity of the paddy harvest could be met by the end of this year, he said.
The Minister said that 150,000 home gardens would also be set up in school premises under the guidance of school heads, past pupils and parents.