No decision to increase paddy purchasing price by PMB

Colombo, June 24 (Daily Mirror) - The government is likely to focus on increasing concessions given to paddy farmers rather than increasing the purchase price of paddy by the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB), Minister of Agriculture K.D. Lal Kantha told Parliament today. 

The Minister said mill owners are planning to increase the retail price of rice if the PMB increases the price offered to farmers. 

"The government will have to protect the consumers and will focus on giving various concessions to paddy farmers," the Minister said, hinting that increasing of the purchase price of paddy will not be a likely scenario.