The Anuradhapura District Agriculture Committee has decided to cultivate paddy in 108,000 hectares in the Anuradhapura district during this year’s Yala season.
Anuradhapura Additional District Secretary Sandya Abeysekara told the Sunday Observer that “Kanna” meetings have been held at Mahakanadarawa, Huruluwewa, Rajangane, Tisawewa and Nuwarawewa, the major irrigation schemes of the 13 major tanks.
She said that all major tanks hold satisfactory water levels despite the prevailing adverse hot weather.
She said that it was envisaged that there would be a record paddy yield in this year’s Yala season since main chemical fertiliser varieties, MOP T.S.P. and Urea and irrigation water facilities are sufficiently available in the district.
Referring to the drinking water supply in the district, the WSDB’S North Central Assistant General Manager Sudath Rathnayake said that in view of the weather forecasts that there could be a severe drought the public are advised to use drinking water distributed by the WSDB in a thrifty manner by limiting the use purified water only for essential domestic purposes to avoid possible water supply restriction in the coming months.
In the meantime the Anuradhapura Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) has been preparing to open its 27 paddy purchasing centres in the district from this week.
Anuradhapura PMB Regional Manager Nimal Thennakoon said that they have been allocated Rs. 25 million initially to buy paddy.
Nochchiyagama PMB Purchasing Centre has already been kept open. However, it is reported that private sector paddy dealers are industriously engaged in buying damp paddy at Rs. 85 and dried paddy at Rs. 110 or more per kilogram, exceeding the government guaranteed price of Rs. 103 per kg of Nadu paddy.
