Topic
Agriculture
1,763 speeches · 318 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. Namal Karunaratne, M.P. JJB | 104 |
| 2 | Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe, M.P. JJB | 93 |
| 3 | Hon. K.V. Samantha Viddyarathna, M.P. JJB | 83 |
| 4 | Hon. (Dr.) Susil Ranasinghe, M.P. JJB | 48 |
| 5 | Hon. Kins Nelson, M.P. SJB | 39 |
| 6 | Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha, M.P. JJB | 37 |
| 7 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 32 |
| 8 | Hon. (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa, M.P. JJB | 32 |
| 9 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 32 |
| 10 | Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar, M.P. JJB | 30 |
Speeches
1,763 on this topic- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath JJB AI summary Issues with paddy purchasing in the North were raised in the Ministerial Advisory Committee, and it was stated that the Paddy Marketing Board has begun purchases despite local challenges. The Ministry will consider the request for faster action, ensure fairness to farmers, and provide further details to the Member. Oral Question: Irrigation Tanks and Cascade Systems in Vavuniya (Q.1406/2025) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam ITAK AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam raised the issue of 221 abandoned tanks in Vavuniya under the Department of Agrarian Development and noted the Government’s stated intention to rehabilitate them. He questioned whether the Government would increase the current paddy purchasing limit of 2,500 kilograms per farmer, arguing that farmers cultivating up to five acres can produce around 10,000 kilograms and therefore receive limited benefit under the existing cap. Oral Question: Irrigation Tanks and Cascade Systems in Vavuniya (Q.1406/2025) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath — Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation AI summary In reply to Question 1406/2025, the Deputy Minister stated that Vavuniya District has 833 irrigation tanks serving 41,594 acres of paddy land, of which 611 systems currently supply water to 38,750 acres. He said 222 tanks are abandoned, covering 2,844 acres, with none under the Department of Irrigation, one under the Mahaweli Authority, and 221 under the Department of Agrarian Development. Rehabilitation is to proceed through the Kivul Oya Project for the Mahaweli tank and through the Department of Agrarian Development’s 2026 action plan, which allocates Rs. 125 million for selected minor tanks in 13 districts. He added that land allocation under Kivul Oya will take place after construction and development are completed, with no date yet specified. Oral Question: Irrigation Tanks and Cascade Systems in Vavuniya (Q.1406/2025) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Namal Karunaratne — Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock AI summary Deputy Minister Namal Karunaratne clarified that the previously cited 2.11 per cent PMB intake was not a purchase limit and said the Government would buy all paddy delivered by farmers, releasing additional funds if needed. He outlined increases in fertilizer support, including higher assistance for paddy and new support for intercropping, while attributing payment delays to staff shortages and cyclone-related disruptions. He also detailed expanded crop and livestock compensation schemes, higher payments for paddy and vegetable losses, and invited reports of any eligible farmers who had not yet received compensation. Oral Questions: Paddy Marketing Board and Fertilizer Subsidies Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Suranga Rathnayaka SJB AI summary Hon. Suranga Rathnayaka questioned the Deputy Minister on the adequacy of Paddy Marketing Board purchases, noting they represented only 2.11 per cent of total production. He also raised concerns about delayed fertilizer subsidies and sought clarification on compensation for partial crop damage caused by the “8960” cyclone, asking whether payments would be made and whether subsidies would be delivered on time next season. Oral Questions: Paddy Marketing Board and Fertilizer Subsidies Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Namal Karunaratne — Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock AI summary The Deputy Minister said the Government had repaired and reopened Paddy Marketing Board stores that were closed or damaged, with Army assistance, to enable paddy purchasing. He stated that producer prices were increased based on official production costs, with Nadu bought at Rs. 120 per kilo, Samba at Rs. 130, and Keeri Samba at Rs. 140, and that over 13,000 MT had already been delivered to PMB stores. He added that while the PMB cannot legally buy wet paddy, drying facilities have been arranged, including dryers in Thalawa and Ampara, to support farmers. Oral Questions: Paddy Marketing Board and Fertilizer Subsidies Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. Suranga Rathnayaka SJB AI summary Hon. Suranga Rathnayaka questioned whether the Government has a concrete plan beyond Paddy Marketing Board purchases to ensure a fair paddy price for farmers in the current season. He argued that PMB purchasing has been insufficient, noting that paddy prices had fallen from earlier levels of Rs. 120–130 per kilo to Rs. 75–80, and raised concerns about alleged market manipulation by large millers. Oral Questions: Paddy Marketing Board and Fertilizer Subsidies Read →
- 4 March 2026 Hon. Namal Karunaratne - Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock JJB AI summary The Deputy Minister said the Government purchase price for Nadu paddy has improved farmers’ margins compared with the position when the Government took office, and noted that Rs. 120 per kg provides better returns for some varieties such as Red Nadu. He explained that under the Paddy Marketing Board Act No. 14 of 1971, PMB can only accept paddy with moisture up to 14 percent, and amendments are being prepared to address related constraints. He said the Government is installing paddy dryers, including two in Thalawa, with plans to cover Ampara and link dryers to PMB warehouses with private sector participation, to prevent farmers selling at lower prices due to insufficient drying facilities. Oral Question: Paddy Purchasing and Guaranteed Prices (Q.1347/2025) Read →
- 4 March 2026 The Hon. (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya - Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education JJB AI summary Guaranteed prices for the 2025/2026 Maha season were stated as Rs. 120 per kg for Nadu, Rs. 130 for Samba, and Rs. 140 for Keeri Samba, with Paddy Marketing Board stores opened for procurement under specified standards. A Rs. 10,000 million allocation has been made, purchasing centres are listed in an annex, and PMB storage capacity has been increased to 250,000 metric tons under warehouse rehabilitation. It was noted that more than 13,000 metric tons of paddy had already been delivered, and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock would respond to the supplementary question. Oral Question: Paddy Purchasing and Guaranteed Prices (Q.1347/2025) Read →
- 4 March 2026 Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna JJB AI summary Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna asked the Prime Minister to outline the Government’s measures for purchasing paddy during the 2025/2026 Maha season, with the stated aims of protecting farmers and avoiding consumer inconvenience. He requested details on guaranteed prices by paddy variety, purchasing mechanisms, allocated funds, the number of purchasing centres by district operated by the Paddy Marketing Board and other state intermediaries, and any new policy reforms to address problems experienced in the previous season. Oral Question: Paddy Purchasing and Guaranteed Prices (Q.1347/2025) Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper noted the significance of Medin Full Moon Poya Day before addressing the role of Civil Defence personnel, particularly former village guards in Kalmunai and Ampara, during the conflict. He said they provided local protection against LTTE threats while remaining largely paddy farmers, and argued that transferring them en masse to Colombo as sentries would be unfair. He urged the Government to engage them in community-based agriculture and rural protection programmes, with compassion for their economic and social circumstances. Adjournment Motion: Civil Defence Personnel Secondment Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe SLMC AI summary Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe expressed dissatisfaction that his question on providing paddy-drying machines to Paddy Marketing Board stores in Ampara had not been addressed. He then raised flooding caused by the incomplete Sambukalappu–Periyakalappu and Karaivagupattu drainage schemes, affecting about 11,500 acres across several areas in Ampara District. He asked whether the previously agreed special meeting with Ampara District MPs and senior irrigation officials, decided at the Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation Sectoral Oversight Committee, could now be arranged. Oral Question: Police Stations and Officers (Q.?/2025) with Supplementaries Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath JJB AI summary Due to heavy rains in the Eastern Province, particularly in harvesting districts such as Ampara, farmers faced difficulties with wet paddy and initial purchasing delays. Paddy Marketing Board stores have been opened in the relevant districts and purchases have commenced to address those hardships. Oral Question: Police Stations and Officers (Q.?/2025) with Supplementaries Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe SLMC AI summary Hon. M.S. Uthumalebbe welcomed the assurance that funds would be allocated in 2026 for the Deegavapi–Alankulam agricultural road renovation. He raised concerns that Ampara District farmers suffered losses during the Maha harvest because wet paddy could not be sold at fair prices and private buyers purchased it cheaply, and asked whether paddy-drying machines could be installed at Paddy Marketing Board warehouses in Ampara. Oral Question: Police Stations and Officers (Q.?/2025) with Supplementaries Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath - Deputy Minister of Land and Irrigation JJB AI summary On behalf of the Minister, the Deputy Minister stated that the Wellakkal Thottam farmers’ organization had reported damage to a low-water crossing and road and requested temporary repairs. He said the Head Office asked the Ampara Irrigation Director in November 2022 to prepare estimates and include the work in the 2023 Annual Work Programme, but no estimate was received due to funding constraints, shortage of technical staff, and prioritization of urgent irrigation works for Maha and Yala seasons. He added that the road and low-water crossing have been included in the 2026 priority list, with funds expected to be allocated. Oral Question: Police Stations and Officers (Q.?/2025) with Supplementaries Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar JJB AI summary Hon. Ramalingam Chandrasekar responded to concerns about the stake-net fishing industry, stating that operations have resumed but that the use of winches and tractors has been stopped due to safety and environmental concerns. He said previous approvals were granted without adequate study, environmental reporting, or proper mapping, and that net lengths had expanded far beyond the permitted 1.5 km, endangering over 5,000 small boats. He noted that affected parties had been informed six months earlier and that discussions, including with the President, were ongoing to consider limits, alternatives, or procedures to continue the traditional industry appropriately. Oral Question: Agricultural Research and Production Assistants (Q.913/2025) Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. Dilip Wedaarachchi SJB AI summary Hon. Dilip Wedaarachchi questioned the Minister of Fisheries about the ban imposed since December on “mada del” stake/shore seine fishing operations. He said a Presidential committee had considered the issue, but argued that delaying implementation of its decision by two months would unfairly affect fishing communities in Puttalam and Negombo because their season ends by April. He asked how affected fishers were expected to sustain themselves during the ban period. Oral Question: Agricultural Research and Production Assistants (Q.913/2025) Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. Namal Karunaratne JJB AI summary Funds for fertilizer were provided in two tranches before cultivation, but some farmers have not received the second payment due to administrative delays, including a shortage of about 4,000 officers, which the government intends to address through recruitment. He said compensation following the “8941” cyclone was expanded beyond six crops to all affected crops and livestock, increasing the workload on officials and causing delays now being rectified. He also stated that rehabilitation of tanks, anicuts, and canals has begun after the “8960” cyclone, with funds allocated and inter-departmental issues being addressed. Oral Question: Agricultural Research and Production Assistants (Q.913/2025) Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB AI summary Hon. Rohini Kumari Wijerathna raised concerns about the workload and responsibilities of Agricultural Research and Production Assistants, including financial duties, invasive plant removal, fertilizer subsidy distribution, loan recoveries, and land-related levies. She questioned the Ministry on the lack of budgetary allocations, vacancies, unpaid allowances, and reported plans to remove ARPAs from supervisory duties, warning that any resulting industrial action would affect farmers. She also referred to unresolved issues such as the spread of invasive plants and limited implementation of wild boar control measures. Oral Question: Agricultural Research and Production Assistants (Q.913/2025) Read →
- 3 March 2026 The Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna SJB AI summary Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna raised concerns that Agricultural Research and Production Assistants have an excessive workload, including data entry for fertilizer subsidy processing. She said delays in data entry due to insufficient officers have prevented many farmers from receiving subsidies, and noted that field information collection was also hampered during Cyclone “Mitra”. Oral Question: Agricultural Research and Production Assistants (Q.913/2025) Read →