The Hon. T.B. Sarath - Deputy Minister of Housing

¶ 01 Mr. Presiding Member, the Opposition tried to show there are crises in rice, salt, and coconuts. A responsible Government has a method to work. On rice, yes there is a problem and certain scarcity. They spoke of a “rice mafia.” I ask the Opposition: one of the three main Polonnaruwa rice mills allegedly in this mafia had its owner placed fourth on their party’s National List and spent for that party in the Presidential Election. That mill alone holds over 90,000 metric tons of paddy. If we had not fixed a concessionary consumer price of Rs. 230 per kg, those moneyed interests would have priced rice at Rs. 280-300.

¶ 02 The 420,000 MT figure for last season covers multiple varieties: Nadu, Keeri Samba, Samba, Red Nadu. The current issue is with Nadu. Previously, Keeri Samba fetched higher prices, so farmers cultivated more of it; hence a larger Keeri Samba harvest. Big millers who sold Keeri Samba at Rs. 320-380/kg earlier now face controlled prices: Keeri Samba at Rs. 260, Nadu at Rs. 230. If we reduce duties on imported rice now, at harvest time, it will depress farmgate prices. We must stabilize prices and ensure justice to the 7.5 million farming community who shouldered a great burden to bring this Government to power. Hector Kobbekaduwa Institute shows the production cost per kilo of paddy has been reduced to Rs. 87 from Rs. 105. We will give a fair price—our pledge is to divide production cost by three and ensure a profit margin.

¶ 03 They shouted about “eating clay milk-rice.” Our people did not eat clay milk-rice; those who did such theatrics will face the law. We set a Rs. 230 consumer price to protect consumers, producers, and intermediaries. In another one to three months, results will be visible.

¶ 04 On fertilizer subsidy: previously Rs. 15,000 per hectare; we raised it to Rs. 25,000. We have already paid Rs. 9.9 billion last year, Rs. 4.8 billion from January, Rs. 1.7 billion in early February, and another Rs. 1.6 billion today—totalling Rs. 18 billion. Past Governments lacked proper data; we are compiling data now. Give us six months, and we will present comprehensive details. We will not reduce a single rupee due to farmers.

¶ 05 We did not come to solve internal party shortages of salt, rice, or coconuts. If there were massive public hardships, the Opposition would be on the streets with buckets, not here. Initially they raised many Points of Order; now they do not. We are ready to respond systematically and scientifically. We are with the people’s aspirations. We took part in the Clean Sri Lanka program, got into a tank; that is our culture, not a casino culture. Let us see in another month or two—elections will come, and the people will give answers. We did not come to keep the Government temporarily; the Opposition should remember that.