Tax relief for cigarettes but not for farmers, says Opposition Leader

While the government has imposed heavy taxes on agricultural equipment, it has reduced taxes on cigarettes, having granted the tobacco company tax relief amounting to Rs. 9.2 billion from January to July 14, 2026, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said.

He said the government had acted to grant tax concessions to tobacco companies while placing a tax burden on farming equipment.

The Opposition Leader made these remarks while participating in a meeting held at Suriyawewa in Hambantota to discuss the problems faced by farmers.

He said that although the government had announced a guaranteed price of Rs. 120 for Nadu paddy, Rs. 130 for Samba and Rs. 140 for Keeri Samba as a means of protecting paddy farmers, it had promised during the election period that a guaranteed price of Rs. 150 for paddy would be made law in the country, a promise that had not been fulfilled to date.

He said farming had today become a loss making profession.

"The farmer is trapped in a deadly debt trap"

The Opposition Leader said that farming had today become a vicious cycle in which farmers had become trapped in a deadly situation, borrowing money from money lenders at high interest to carry out cultivation, while not receiving quality fertiliser, seed paddy or agrochemicals, and not even receiving the fertiliser subsidy as promised.

He said that, in addition, the prices of agrochemicals and fertiliser had risen, and at a time when the prices of equipment had already increased amid these problems, the government had imposed further taxes on this equipment.

He added that the human elephant conflict had also intensified, and that although property, lives and everything else were being lost, none of this appeared to be a concern for the government.

"The government has no answers to farmers' problems"

The Opposition Leader said that although questions had been raised in Parliament today on behalf of the farming community, the government had reached a point where it was delaying answers to these questions.

He said that although the harvesting season in the Eastern Province was drawing to a close, no solutions had been provided, and that the government's attempts amounted to delaying matters until they could be forgotten. He noted that currently only Rs. 120 was being paid for paddy with 14 percent moisture content, and that this had been limited to 2,500 kilograms.

"Govt has no interest in making the country self sufficient"

The Opposition Leader further said that although false promises had been made to win votes, the government was today acting in a manner that caused farmers loss upon loss.

He said that at a time when the farming community was facing numerous problems, the very government that had obtained the farmers' votes had now become a burden to them.

Premadasa said the government itself claimed that it was not the farmer who could guarantee food security and self sufficiency, adding that this government had no target for food security.

He said false promises had been made while in opposition, and that the SJB would continue to fight until a fair price was given for paddy.