SJB MP Kabir Hashim asserted that the rice mafia could have been dismantled during Anura Kumara Disanayake’s tenure as the Agriculture Minister. He made this statement during a press conference held yesterday (13) at the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo.
Hashim further commented on the matter, emphasizing the following facts.”Anura Kumara Dissanayake also claimed that while the country is self-sufficient in rice, a mafia is operating within the industry. He noted that the country consumes 2.3 million metric tonnes of rice annually, which is produced domestically. Additionally, Dissanayake stated that 3.5 million metric tonnes of rice will be needed in future, and Sri Lanka aims to meet this demand locally.
“Dissanayake’s party attempted to propagate the idea that the country’s woes were due to a 75-year curse, suggesting that little progress occurred after independence. “Contradicting his previous stance, Dissanayake now asserts that the country is self-sufficient.
However, this achievement did not happen spontaneously. When Sri Lanka gained Independence in 1948, only 35 percent of its rice was domestically produced, with 64 percent being imported. It wasn’t until 1994 that the country achieved self-sufficiency, largely due to projects like Mahaweli and Gal-Oya that developed agriculture.
In 1990, the paddy yield was 3,600 kg per hectare, demonstrating significant progress. Therefore, Dissanayake’s claims of a 74-year curse lack credibility.
“Dissanayake now promises to eradicate the rice mafia, but questions arise about his previous tenure as Agriculture Minister in 2004. Despite facing the rice mafia then, he failed to implement substantial agricultural reforms. Dudley Sirisena, the owner of a major paddy mill, recounts receiving early morning phone calls from Dissanayake during his tenure, suggesting a dubious relationship with the rice mafia. Dissanayake’s failure to address the issue effectively raises doubts about his ability to bring about meaningful change now.”
Rakshana Sriyantha