The Anuradhapura District Irrigation Joint Farmers’ Organizer has expressed concerns over alleged government circulars setting paddy purchase prices at Rs. 95 per kilo for wet paddy and Rs. 110 for dry paddy. The organizer’s chairman, Mr. Punchirala Ratnayake, criticized the government for attempting to exploit paddy farmers and pushing them toward bankruptcy.
Ratnayake accused the government of neglecting its responsibility to purchase paddy at fair prices, raising suspicions that the issue might stem from deals orchestrated by certain groups. He stated that the current Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Namal Karunaratne, who previously advocated for Rs. 154 per kilo, is now offering farmers a lower rate of Rs. 140, which he called hypocritical.
Warning of potential unrest, Ratnayake cautioned the government about the growing frustration among farmers. “If a fair price for paddy is not given, the roads will be filled with people, just as they were during Gotabaya’s time. Be careful about that—you will have to answer for it,” he said at a media conference.
The remarks reflect rising tensions between paddy farmers and the government over pricing and policies that farmers believe threaten their livelihoods. Calls for swift action to address these grievances are growing, with the potential for widespread protests looming on the horizon.
