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- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB AI summary Hon. Kins Nelson expressed condolences to flood-affected families and urged swift government relief before criticising agriculture budget allocations as not translating into effective delivery. He questioned the low uptake of youth agriculture loans, delays and adequacy of the paddy fertilizer subsidy, and the failure of state institutions to purchase wet paddy at the announced price, urging timely inputs, drying facilities, and clear implementation instructions. He proposed abolishing the wet paddy price for the Maha season, reducing VAT on agricultural inputs, ensuring quality fertilizer, and increasing the fair price for paddy if costs are not reduced. He also highlighted losses faced by big onion farmers in Polonnaruwa and called for a storage and market mechanism to address import dependence and low farmgate prices. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Aruna Panagoda JJB AI summary Hon. Aruna Panagoda said the Government was responding to the ongoing disaster through discussions involving the President, party leaders and MPs, with teams sent to affected districts and further decisions due at a Party Leaders’ meeting. He argued that the Government’s agriculture policy was being led by representatives with farming backgrounds and said the Budget allocates funds to address long-standing issues in agriculture, land administration, tank maintenance, reserve protection and Survey Department staffing, including in Colombo District. He criticized past governments for fragmenting the agriculture portfolio, wasting public funds, distributing state lands to political associates, and cited a Homagama land case involving former ministers as an example of agricultural land being diverted from cultivation. He stated that the Government is gathering proposals and engaging farmers to rectify these problems and strengthen agricultural production. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Waruna Liyanage SJB AI summary Hon. Waruna Liyanage raised district-level agriculture, livestock, land and irrigation issues in Ratnapura, including delays in fertilizer subsidies for paddy farmers and lack of compensation for pepper farmers after crop failure. He urged strengthening the Cinnamon Development Department, providing land for dairy sheds and fodder cultivation through coordination with the LRC, Mahaweli and Plantation authorities, and addressing restrictions faced by estate-adjacent dairy farmers. He also called for early passage of amendments to the Irrigation Ordinance, feasibility work on a proposed dry dam for Ratnapura flood control, support for the Ellewewa reservoir, and an interim mechanism to prevent children on LRC lands losing school admission marks due to unresolved title deed issues. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa expressed condolences for deaths and damage caused by severe weather and thanked officials and security forces involved in relief work, while urging the Government to immediately declare a state of disaster under Section 11(1) of the Sri Lanka Disaster Management Act No. 13 of 2005. He called for swift compensation and updated relief circulars for affected households, farmers and fishers, and questioned delays in past disaster relief, including in Ampara. He also criticized the Government’s agricultural policy, alleging failures in fertilizer support, input affordability, fair prices, irrigation rehabilitation and human-elephant conflict management, and demanded a national programme to revive agriculture and strengthen food security. He further urged reforms to the Disaster Management Act and framework, including improvements to early warnings, inter-agency coordination, risk mapping, community preparedness and infrastructure. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna JJB AI summary Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna expressed condolences over deaths and damage caused by adverse weather, and said the President had discussed the emergency in Parliament with government and opposition members. He rejected Opposition claims about farmer abandonment, shortages, lack of guaranteed prices and delayed subsidies, citing the “Back to the Fields” programme, paddy purchasing prices, green gram production, and increased allocations for young farmers. He said the Government had raised the fertilizer subsidy to Rs. 25,000 per hectare, was providing support before cultivation, and had allocated Rs. 36,000 million for fertilizer subsidies and Rs. 221,300 million for the Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Ministry in 2026. He also referred to support for non-paddy field crops and Rs. 3,000 million for restarting MILCO’s Badalgama factory, noting that a large share of MILCO’s bank debt had been repaid. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney-at-Law SLPP AI summary Namal Rajapaksa expressed condolences to those affected by adverse weather and said the Opposition would support disaster-response efforts, while urging the Government to prioritize evacuations and lifesaving measures in high-risk flood and landslide areas. He criticized agricultural and food import policies, arguing that farmers had been unfairly blamed for overproduction while imports of rice, vegetables and fruit had harmed producer prices without reducing consumer prices. He called on the Government to compensate and support flood-affected farmers, strengthen local agriculture rather than rely on imports, and consider adjourning Parliament so MPs and local committee chairs could assist disaster response in affected villages. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) V.S. Radhakrishnan SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) V.S. Radhakrishnan urged the Government to address farmers’ grievances broadly, warning that past governments suffered politically when agricultural issues were mishandled. He said compensation and insurance should not be limited to paddy farmers, and called for support for vegetable, potato, sugarcane, maize, tuber and onion farmers affected by recent floods in Nuwara Eliya, Badulla and surrounding areas. He requested subsidized seed potatoes, fertilizer support, fairer price-setting mechanisms for producers, and expanded veterinary services, vehicles and hardship allowances to strengthen dairy and livestock production in Nuwara Eliya. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 Hon. Sudath Balagalla JJB AI summary Hon. Sudath Balagalla outlined planned investments and development projects in Mahiyanganaya and surrounding areas, including fruit cultivation and processing, allocation of land to landless married farmers, investor-led use of former turmeric lands, and new industries on abandoned sites. He said the Government plans to build the Pullgasyaya tank in 2026 to improve irrigation for downstream tanks and enable two-season cultivation, and to construct a permanent market for 1,000 vendors. He defended low-cost housing through voluntary labour and argued that the National People’s Power’s development approach focuses on a production economy, value addition to agricultural produce, exports, and rural employment. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Sudath Balagalla JJB AI summary Hon. Sudath Balagalla described disaster impacts in Badulla, including 29 deaths and damage to irrigation works and paddy fields, and said the District Disaster Management Committee would meet to coordinate relief measures. He defended the Government’s development record in the district, citing financial progress of 74.79 percent and physical progress of 81.67 percent despite limited technical staff, and highlighted community-implemented farmer organization projects in Mahiyanganaya. He said the Government’s 2026 objective is to shift farmers toward export-oriented production, including development of a 1,050-acre abandoned tract in Mahiyanganaya’s “B” zone as a modern agro-park. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Rauff Hakeem, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Rauff Hakeem raised urgent disaster-related concerns, including flooding risks at the Murapola Ela irrigation channel near Ududeniya, and called for investigation of nearby quarry blasting and an assessment by the National Building Research Organization. He urged the Government to resolve long-standing land title issues in Kalugamuwa, LRC lands in Puttalam, and other areas through land kachcheris and agency intervention, and to examine complaints about the dismantling or diversion of pipelines under the Puttalam-South Water Supply Project. He proposed establishing a National River Basin Conservation Authority to coordinate floodplain, irrigation and potable water planning for major rivers, while welcoming the decision not to immediately abolish the Mahaweli Authority. He also sought clarity and action on major water and irrigation projects including Lower Malwathu Oya, Kumbukkan Oya, Heda Oya, Yan Oya and Mundeni Aru, particularly for the Eastern Province. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Anuradha Jayaratne, Attorney-at-Law NDF AI summary Anuradha Jayaratne urged the Government to table a comprehensive national plan for agriculture and irrigation, approved by Parliament, to ensure continuity across ministries and administrations, including import-substitution targets and future Mahaweli-related water transfer projects. He cited gains in rice production since 1950 but argued that further progress requires a structured plan, stronger action on post-harvest losses, operationalizing the Dambulla Cold Storage facility, and practical measures to address wild animal damage, including clarity on the elephant and wild animal census. He also called for accelerated agreements and funding for the North Central and North Western Canal projects and a parallel programme to rehabilitate the approximately 1,200 minor tanks they are intended to feed. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. E.M. Basnayaka JJB AI summary Hon. E.M. Basnayaka outlined the 2026 allocations for the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation, including funding for paddy buffer stocks, fertilizer subsidies, farmers’ pensions, crop insurance, irrigation rehabilitation, milk production, breeding farms, agri-credit and paddy drying machinery. He reported severe climate-related damage in Kandy District, particularly Ududumbara, where people were displaced, houses collapsed and access was blocked, and linked the wider disaster situation to pressures on agriculture. He also highlighted human-elephant conflict, citing annual human and elephant deaths and flood-related incidents, and noted allocations and vehicle procurement to strengthen mitigation and Wildlife Department capacity. He called on the Opposition to support relief efforts for affected communities. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB AI summary The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka criticised the Government’s agriculture policy, arguing that farmers continue to face low prices, delayed fertilizer, weak procurement, post-harvest losses, wild animal damage and ineffective insurance, while consumers are burdened by rice imports and duties despite earlier pledges to avoid imports. He cited limited paddy purchasing against stated targets in the 2024–2025 Maha and 2025 Yala seasons and called for timely fertilizer distribution and stronger support to ensure fair prices for farmers. He also questioned the value of the elephant census, saying its report remains unpublished and its impact on crop damage mitigation is unclear, and contrasted current policy with earlier land settlement and Mahaweli development initiatives. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam ITAK AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Pathmanathan Sathiyalingam welcomed allocations for agriculture-related services, including market access, but requested cold storage facilities at the Vavuniya Economic Center and phased rehabilitation of minor irrigation tanks in Vavuniya, where many tanks are damaged or abandoned. He urged transparent consultations on the Kivul Oya project, citing concerns that it could submerge lands and village tanks of longstanding Tamil residents and lead to conflict. He also called for expanded support to dairy farmers nationwide, including veterinary staff, transport, essential medicines, and enforcement of indicative prices for milk and meat. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha JJB AI summary K.D. Lal Kantha stated that although complaints regarding agricultural matters are reaching ministers, district officials and the Agrarian Development Department, the issue is not a lack of Treasury funding but implementation at ground level. He urged farmers to carry out their responsibilities properly and on time. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha JJB AI summary Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha said his Ministry has a broad mandate covering about 20 institutions and 10 departments, and urged both Government and Opposition to discuss the full scope of its budget allocations rather than only a few issues. Addressing the fertilizer subsidy, he said effective implementation depends on farmer organizations and farmers attending meetings convened by Agricultural Research and Production Assistants and providing accurate, timely details such as cultivated acreage and bank account numbers. He noted that incorrect or delayed information disrupts payments, cited difficulties in Monaragala where officials had to collect details door to door, and acknowledged around 4,000 vacancies among these officers, which the Ministry is working to address. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha JJB AI summary Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha said the debate on the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation should reflect the Ministry’s full mandate, not only issues such as fertilizer shortages and crop prices. He listed the departments, boards, companies, research bodies, land and survey institutions, livestock entities, irrigation projects and related authorities under the Ministry, highlighting areas such as export agriculture, cinnamon development, agrarian insurance, post-harvest management and major irrigation schemes. He urged Members on both sides to consider this broad institutional and policy scope when discussing the Ministry’s allocations. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. K.D. Lal Kantha - Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation JJB AI summary Minister K.D. Lal Kantha requested the Opposition to avoid calling a Division on the Ministry’s Heads of Expenditure, citing the ongoing disaster situation affecting several districts and provinces. He argued that summoning Members for a vote would hinder their ability to attend to urgent relief and intervention work, and asked that the Opposition’s protest be recorded while allowing the Heads to pass without division. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara SJB AI summary R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara warned that major disaster cycles tend to recur every seven to eight years and urged the Government to ensure preparedness. He also called on the Government to fulfil its promises to support farmers. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →
- 27 November 2025 The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara SJB AI summary R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara moved the customary Rs. 10 reduction across the relevant expenditure heads and criticized the Government’s agriculture policy, arguing that farmers face falling incomes, reduced cultivation, delayed and inadequate fertilizer support, and rising input costs. He demanded increased and broader fertilizer subsidies for paddy and other crops, support for maize and seed costs, and improved agricultural modernization through better seed, soil testing and inputs. He also questioned import and duty decisions on maize, big onions and potatoes, alleging poor coordination that depressed local farm-gate prices while increasing food import expenditure. Appropriation Bill 2026 - Committee Stage - Eleventh Allotted Day (Heads 118, 281, 282, 285-289, 292, 327, 337) Read →