Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called on the government to fulfill its election promises and ensure fair prices for paddy farmers suffering under rising production costs.
Speaking in Parliament, Premadasa warned that the crisis facing the agricultural sector has worsened significantly as farmers struggle to sell their harvest at profitable rates.
He noted that wet paddy is currently purchased at Rs. 80 to Rs. 85 per kilogram and dried paddy at Rs. 90 to Rs. 100, while government figures estimate the production cost per kilogram at Rs. 137.
Insufficient support
The Opposition Leader urged the government to secure equitable pricing to prevent farming families from falling deeper into poverty.
He pointed out that pledges made during the election campaign regarding farmer welfare remain unfulfilled.
While the government recommends applying 225 kilograms of urea per hectare, the provided subsidy of 30,000 rupees per hectare fails to cover the expense.
He also highlighted that expenses for essential inputs including seed paddy, fertilizer, fuel, and agrochemicals continue to escalate alongside non-financial threats such as the human-elephant conflict.
With agriculture employing roughly 26 to 27 percent of the national workforce, the Opposition Leader urged officials to rectify calculation errors in how the sector's contribution to gross domestic product is assessed by the Department of Census and Statistics.
Warning that delaying intervention will leave farmers helpless and shrink the economy, he called on the government to deliver justice to the rural voters who supported it.
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