Action to uplift 5000 maize farmers in Rajarata

• Fair price to local farmers stopping import
• Make the country self-sufficient in maize
• All under state patronage
• Government contribution includes modern technology, modern machinery and equipment
• Seed subsidy of 50%
• Ultimate objective is to make the country self- sufficient listening to farmers and giving priority to their telling, experience, views and proposals.

So said the Minister at farmers association meetings of Rajarata.

Farmer Organization Representatives and Officials of the District ‘’GoviSanvidanaBalamandalaya’’ of Anuradhapura met the Agriculture Minister MahindanandaAluthgamage recently (on 18.03.2021) at the Agrarian Service Centre, Anuradhapura. Minister S.M.Chandrasena too joined this meeting at which the Minister MahindanandaAluthgamage resolved various day-to-day issued faced by farmers relating to land, irrigation and agriculture.

‘’All facilities are provided by the Government and on his part the responsibility of the farmer is to cultivate and increase national production. The Minister instructed officials of the project to provide all assistance and equipment to farmers under maize project implemented Anuradhapura district by the Agriculture sector Modernization Project under Ministry of Agriculture. The Government spents Rs.1000Mn on this project. This money is distributed among 5000 farmers Rs.48,000/- each per farmer and they will be given 50% seed subsidy in addition to modern equipment and technology. The Minister also instructed to buy equipment in keeping with farmers need. This is a programme to make the country self- sufficient in maize.

Under this cultivation programme 7000 farmers including those in other districts will be benefited. At the discussion with farmer organization representatives, the Minister informed officials to take all urgent measures to ensure successful implementation of the project. The Minister in co-ordination with the relevant institutions help to find instant solution to issues raised by farmer organizations related to seed supply, small irrigation, canals and difficulties of obtaining bank loans. He also promised to farmer organizations to issue a weed (‘’pasi’’) removing machine each to Agrarian Services Centres. It was also decided to provide 02 paddy drying plants along with marketing facilities to obtain fair price for their harvest to obtain fair price for their harvest without falling pray middlemen’s influence.

Officials of both Agrarian Service Department and Agriculture Modernization Project also participated at this meeting.