The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, I looked for the Mover of the Motion—he is absent, as is the Opposition Leader who sought time at the Business Committee claiming grave farmer issues. Only Hon. Suranga Rathnayaka remains from the Opposition; I thank him for staying to debate.

¶ 02 The Motion alleges our price is inadequate, that we are not purchasing, and that fertilizer is late. Note: only about 54 percent of Yala fields have been harvested so far; the season is not over. Assertions that “all is over” are false.

¶ 03 On fertilizer and credit to small and medium millers: Sri Lanka produces about 4.6–4.7 million MT of paddy across Maha and Yala. This Yala, cultivated area is up by about 80,000 hectares over last year, with harvest expected to be over 2.3 million MT—exceeding initial expectations of 2.1–2.18 million MT—because fertilizer support has been delivered. Annually, Rs. 40–50 billion is provided across Maha and Yala. Odapana loans were provided, and large millers took substantial bank loans with roll-overs—Rs. 3–8 billion in some cases. For this Yala alone, Rs. 21 billion has already been disbursed. Claims that SMEs received nothing are incorrect.

¶ 04 We will continue store rehabilitation, expand dryers, and keep stabilizing market prices. We reject attempts to dramatize and mislead; we will work with facts, and with farmers and consumers, to ensure fair outcomes.