Govt. initiates scheme to facilitate small and medium rice millers

Anjana SAMARASINGHE

PADDY: A special program has been launched by the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Marketing Development to undertake the milling process of paddy which they purchase from farmers.

Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Consumer Affairs and Marketing Development R.M.K. Rathnayake told 'Daily News' that the Ministry would import necessary machinery for the mill owners to upgrade the paddy mills.

"At present we have imported different types of machinery from China for testing purposes. Next month the ministry would place a large order for suitable machines. Ministry also allocated nearly Rs 10 million to purchase machinery," he said.

Each machine will cost around Rs. 32,000 - Rs. 35,000 and could process 1/2 metric tonnes of paddy per day. Mill owners could purchase these machinery through loan schemes, made available by state banks.

The Ministry will provide paddy for these mill owners. Facilities are provided the sell such rice to co-operative stores.

"The objective of the program is to uplift the small and medium scale mill owners in the country and develop rural areas as rice producing villages, Rathnayake said.

Main problem the mill owners face is recurrent expenditures and through this proposed program millers could minimise their costs," he said.

Organiser of Polonnaruwa Small and Medium Paddy Mill Owners' and Paddy Stock Collectors' Association M. Veenadipathy said that due to initiatives taken by the government there are many entrepreneurs who had now restarted paddy mills in the district.

"There were 20,000 paddy mills in the districts but now there are only 6,000. However this timely initiative would help to increase the number of rice mills," he said.

"It is appreciated that many government institutes and state banks have come forward to uplift mill owners in the country under various programs. However there should be a proper mechanism for these small and medium scale mill owners to be self sufficient," he said.

Assistant General Manager (North Central Region) People's Bank W.K Ariyasena said bank had discussions with Small and Medium Paddy Mill Owners in Polonnaruwa to relieve debt burdens of these mill owners.

Discussions are afoot to reown the properties acquired by the banks for defaulting repayment, and also requests are being made to the bank authorities to fix concessionary rates in the process since they are unable to meet the full amount, he said.