The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, the Hon. Deputy Minister referred to cold-storage facilities and operations through Economic Centres. We expect fair prices for farmers’ produce, but the Government has failed to provide assured prices for big onion, red onion, potato, pumpkin and many other crops as well as paddy. From the outset of the production cycle, farmers face difficulties: no timely fertilizer payments and no guaranteed prices for vegetables like potato, onion, pumpkin, or for paddy growers. As we speak, the Maha season has begun, but there is no money for fertilizer. How will you resolve this? Please ensure fertilizer subsidies are paid on time within the production cycle; last season many received payments after completing cultivation. Also, implement the guaranteed price mechanism more effectively. Do not say the Government cannot do this; the people cultivating the soil demand an answer.