President calls for strategic paddy reserves amid climate risks

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emphasised the importance of maintaining adequate strategic paddy reserves, particularly in view of future adverse climatic conditions. President Dissanayake noted that the country’s paddy reserves should not be treated as part of the routine process but rather as a matter requiring special attention.

The President made these assertions during a discussion held on plans for purchasing paddy during the Yala cultivation season held at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (23).

During the discussion, the President pointed out that a key concern was the fact that paddy stocks purchased during last year’s Yala season had still not been released to the market in sufficient quantities.

President Dissanayake also inquired into the measures already taken, as well as proposals being considered, to clear these stocks and free up storage facilities, according to the President’s Media Division.

The President instructed officials of the Ministry of Finance to allocate the necessary funds for the purchase of paddy during the current Yala season.

The condition of storage facilities at district level was also discussed, the PMD stated. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake noted that similar issues could be avoided in the future by maintaining an accurate data system on warehouse conditions and buffer stocks and instructed officials to take the necessary steps in this regard.

Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation K.D. Lalkantha; Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe; Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne; Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation D.P. Wickramasinghe; Director General of the National Budget Department Jude Nilukshan; Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board A.M.U. Pinnalanda; Director General of Agriculture W.A.R.T. Wickramarachchi; Director of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute A.L. Sandhika; Commissioner General of the Department of Agrarian Development Dhammika Ranatunga; and several other officials were present at the discussion.