The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, today we speak about our rural farmers—about 25 per cent of our people. In 1994, agriculture contributed about 20 per cent to GDP; today it is below 8 per cent. Our farmers are poorer, yields per acre have not risen meaningfully, and productivity lags.

¶ 02 This Budget allocates Rs. 35 billion for fertilizer subsidies—the same amount we saw nearly two decades ago. Recently, in reply to a question, the Prime Minister said only about Rs. 9–10 billion of that has actually been disbursed so far. Out of 2.5 million farming families, only about one million paddy farmers benefit; potato, tea, rubber, coconut, onion and other crop farmers do not get this subsidy. You trumpet partial coverage as a grand success.

¶ 03 Under Yahapalana, any farmer could buy a 50 kg fertilizer bag for Rs. 1,500. Now a bag costs around Rs. 8,500. You promised Rs. 152 per kg for paddy but pay about Rs. 115. While we must balance farmer and consumer interests, your approach hurts both. You said you would build a 10 per cent buffer stock—about 300,000 MT of paddy if production is 3 million MT—but have allocated only Rs. 5.8 billion, sufficient for about 40,000 MT of paddy (24,000 MT rice) for a few days. How much have you actually procured?

¶ 04 Farmers are not selling to the State at your price; private mills are buying, leaving consumers to pay higher prices. On 1 January, people lacked quality rice to make kiribath; imported sticky rice from India filled the gap. Will there be proper rice for the New Year?

¶ 05 The President thundered he would enter mills and release hoarded stocks, but prices went up instead—by Rs. 60–70 per kg. With a Rs. 65/kg import duty, importing 167,000 MT of rice yielded about Rs. 1,000 million to millers rather than relief to consumers or farmers. You admit coconut yields have fallen due to lack of fertilizer, yet you flirt again with a failed “all-organic” experiment that already hurt our farmers. Extend fertilizer support to all crops.

¶ 06 In Monaragala, Anuradhapura and Ampara, farmers cultivate 150,000 acres of maize. They pay Rs. 8,500 per bag for fertilizer; now, as their harvest arrives, you have issued licences to import 200,000 MT of maize. Local price has crashed to around Rs. 110 per kg. Tractor costs and seed costs have soared—a 5 kg seed pack once Rs. 5,000 is now Rs. 20,000. Maize farmers are among our poorest. Provide them fertilizer support and a guaranteed price.

¶ 07 You speak of a “76-year curse.” In 1948, we produced only 34 per cent of our rice and imported the rest. Through Minneriya, Minipe, Gal Oya (Senanayake Samudraya) and Mahaweli, by 1994 we achieved rice self-sufficiency and cheap hydropower—Rs. 3.50 per kWh compared to over Rs. 100 for thermal. Name one reservoir your leaders built during the caretaker period—none.

¶ 08 On sugar: three of the four major sugar factories are in Monaragala—Gal Oya (initiated by D.S. Senanayake), Sevanagala and Pelwatte (both by J.R. Jayewardene). In 1988, India’s Motha proposed a factory in Siyambalanduwa—then the poorest DS Division—but your side blocked it, even attacking the then Land Commissioner Seneviratne. Today, the sugar sector is in crisis; ethanol and sugar sales are blocked; workers remain unpaid. Take corrective measures urgently.

¶ 09 Thank you.