Aug 27, Colombo: The Sri Lankan government has allocated Rs.5.65 billion to purchase the paddy harvest of Yala Season 2010 from the farmers.

The Sri Lankan Cabinet today approved the measure proposed by the President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the Minister of Finance and Planning to implement Island wide programme for the purchase of Yala Season's paddy harvest this year.

The Ministry of Finance and Planning, in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Co-operative and Internal Trade and the Ministry of Economic Development has prepared island-wide Accelerated Programme to purchase the paddy harvest.

Under the program, a kilogram of Nadu variety will be purchased at Rs.28 while a kilogram of samba will be purchased at Rs.30. The Ministry of Finance and Planning has made arrangements to provide Rs.5.65 billion for this purpose.

The farmers have been complaining about lack of a proper program to buy their bumper crops this season. The Paddy Marketing Board says lack of warehouse space to stoer the paddy is creating the problem.

The PMB said it has taken steps to transport the present stocks to warehouses in other areas to provide space to store the produce of the current season in the areas such as Ampara and Polonnaruwa districts.