Immediate action to control rising vegetable prices | Daily News

Immediate action to control rising vegetable prices

President directs officials to safeguard farmers, consumers:

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has instructed officials to implement a programme to control rising vegetable prices to provide relief to consumers while safeguarding farmers.

Vegetable prices have led to an increase in the cost of living. During a meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat, with Mahaweli Development and Trade Ministry officials, the President said that there should be immediate intervention to control it.

“Vegetables are brought to Dambulla from vegetable cultivation areas. After this process, vegetables are distributed back to the original areas from Dambulla. Due to waste in transport, a large amount of crop goes waste,” President Rajapaksa said.

He said this procedure is not correct and outdated.

Attention was also drawn to explore possibilities of vegetable cultivation in state lands belonging to plantation companies not only limiting to coconut cultivation.

The President also pointed out that although economic centers were set up to provide relief to consumers and small traders, issues have arisen as these centers are controlled by large scale traders with vested interests. The government paddy purchasing process was also taken into consideration. These tasks are being carried out successfully with the assistance of the Army. Paddy storage warehouses have been renovated in several areas. The President instructed officials to repair all other paddy storage warehouses immediately.

During this meeting it was also discussed in detail regarding the issues related to the residents of the Moragahakanda-Kaluganga project. Issues that have arisen due to non-payment to the contract companies also discussed during this meeting.

Attention was also drawn to the protection of projects such as Uma Oya and to create reservations in those areas.Mahaweli, Agriculture, Irrigation and Rural Development Minister Chamal Rajapaksa, State Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, ministry secretaries and senior officials participated.


Add new comment