The government has decided to increase the fertilizer subsidy provided for paddy farmers.
Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mahinda Amaraweera stated that commencing from the next cultivation season, the fertilizer subsidy will be increased from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000 per hectare.
It is reported that the relevant Cabinet paper was presented to the Cabinet of Ministers yesterday (26) and it has received approval.
Meanwhile, the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) says that the government has planned to initiate the process of purchasing paddy from today (27).
Its Chairman, Buddhika Iddamalgoda, mentioned that the Treasury has allocated Rs. 500 million for this purpose as the preliminary phase.
According to the chairman, the PMB will purchase Samba paddy at Rs. 115 per kilogram and Keeri Samba at Rs. 130 per kilogram.