Opposition MP and Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National Organiser Namal Rajapaksa has called on the government to immediately provide a fair price for paddy farmers' harvests, claiming that farmers are facing increasing hardships while the cost of living continues to rise.
Rajapaksa alleged that the government had failed to address farmers' concerns over paddy prices, fertiliser availability and rice imports.
He said farmers have been demanding a price of Rs. 140 per kilogram of paddy and accused the government of failing to honour promises made before the election regarding guaranteed purchase prices.
Rajapaksa also claimed that farmers were being intimidated for demanding higher prices and criticised the continued importation of rice despite earlier assurances that imports would be halted.
Referring to the previous SLPP government, he said a guaranteed price for paddy had been maintained through subsidised fertiliser and purchases by the Paddy Marketing Board, while acknowledging that the organic fertiliser policy introduced later had been a mistake.
He also alleged that despite the government's pledge to purchase paddy directly from farmers, the programme had failed to attract producers, while rice prices had ultimately increased.
Rajapaksa said the rising cost of living and increasing tax burden had made daily life unaffordable for many people and urged the government to immediately present its plan to address the concerns of farmers and the wider public.
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