Potato growers in Welimada and Uva-Paranagama urged President Maithripala Sirisena to see that their arrears of Rs.90 million due for harvests bought by the Sri Lanka Consumer Cooperative Association (SLCCA) would be paid soon.
As potato prices dropped during the past few months, the SLCCA had bought the potatoes from farmers at centres in Welimada, Bogahakumbura, Nugatalawa, Uva-Paranagama, Mediwela and Ambagasdowa between October 1 and October 9.
Farmers said that the SLCCA had bought 1.8 kilotonnes of potatoes, but they had not yet been paid. They added that as a result, they were facing difficulties in commencing potato cultivation for this year's Maha season. Rs.25,000 was needed to grow 50 kilograms of seed potatoes, they said, adding that farmers in Welimada grew seed potatoes between November and January during the Maha seasons, as well as between May and August during the Yala seasons.
Welimada-Uva-Paranagama Potato Farmers' Association President D.M. Siriwardena said that if potato yields were to drop during the Maha season, it would directly affect the yields of the Yala season as well.
"If cultivation activities are to be postponed now, farmers would face a water crisis in future," Siriwardena said, "We informed the previous government on the matter, but they did not provide us with a solution."
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