PMD to buy 10,000 MT of paddy from Anuradhapura | Daily News

PMD to buy 10,000 MT of paddy from Anuradhapura

Although the Maha season paddy harvesting is in progress in the Anuradhapura district, the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) has not commenced purchasing paddy yet competitively with the private sector. However, the PMB had planned to buy 10,000 MT of paddy from the Anuradhapura district.

This is due to the Maha paddy cultivation had been limited due to the drought in Anuradhapura.

The raw Nadu variety is bought at Rs. 38 to 39 per kilo whereas raw Samba is bought at Rs. 49 - 50 on the spot. Harvesting is in progress in the Kahatagasdigiliya, Horowpothana, Kekirawa, Galnewa and Eppawala areas.

Anuradhapura PMB Regional Manager Nimal Tennakoon said they have requested the government through the Anuradhapura government agent to provide Rs. 350 million to purchase paddy.

“This situation might change and the private sector traders will exploit the situation by buying paddy at low prices. We, the PMB, are ready to prevent such a situation aiming to open purchasing centres in the Bulnewa, Galnewa, Thambuttegama, Nochchiyagama, Katiyawa, Rajangane, Thalawa and Kekirawa areas in the Mahaweli H Zone where paddy is grown in around 27,000 hectares.”

“However, we are ready to open 28 purchasing centres depending on the paddy inflow to the market. We buy Nadu at Rs. 38 per kilo and Samba at Rs. 41 per kilo.

Thus, we are not allowing paddy prices to drop than that limit,” the Regional Manager emphasized.


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