Deputy Minister of Agriculture Namal Karunaratne has denied ever stating that 150 rupees should be paid for a kilo of paddy.
Speaking at a media conference in Colombo today, he emphasized that his position has always been that the price of paddy should be determined by adding the cost of production and 30% profit for farmers.
Karunaratne explained that the current production cost for a kilo of paddy is approximately 100 rupees. Adding 30% to this cost would set the price at around 130 rupees per kilo for the current season.
His clarification comes amidst debates over paddy pricing and concerns from farmers regarding fair compensation for their produce.
