brand logo

Top priest queries Agri Minister on food inflation, shortages

27 Sep 2022

BY Buddhika Samaraweera   Mahanayaka (Chief Prelate) of the Malwathu Chapter of the Siam Sect Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera inquired from Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera regarding issues such as the rising food prices and the food shortage in the country. An official of the Agriculture Ministry told The Morning that Amaraweera paid a visit to the Malwathu Maha Viharaya in Kandy on Sunday (25), where he met the monk. During the meeting, the official said that the monk had inquired from Amaraweera about rising food prices and the food shortage in the country, as well as the prevailing political situation in the country. They had also discussed the agriculture sector in the country and the monk had advised Amaraweera to have the utmost confidence in the local farmers when making decisions regarding the field of agriculture. In response, Amaraweera said that he will work with faith in the farmers as requested by the monk. Although he sought the opinions and suggestions of the relevant officials in making decisions with regard to the agriculture sector, he said that the final decisions will be taken according to the opinions of the experts who deal with the land and the farming community. He said that the Government is working to ensure that the upcoming Maha cultivation season would be a successful season and that the Government has taken steps to provide urea and other types of fertiliser for paddy and maize crops during the season. He stated that the Government’s goal is to locally produce the entire amount of rice required by the country. Sri Lanka’s agriculture sector, mainly paddy cultivation, has suffered a major setback since April 2021, with the ban on chemical fertilisers and agrochemicals. Since then, farmers have been charging that there has been a significant decrease in harvest yields despite the use of organic fertilisers provided by the Government. Given this situation, the Government allowed the importation of rice. Then-Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said that he had personally not agreed with the Government’s decision to import rice as the move could affect the prices paid to paddy farmers.  


More News..