It has been reported in media that a large amount of the paddy stocks have been destroyed by insects during storage.
On Prime Minister's instructions, his Secretary Saman Ekanayake has informed about the media reports to the Ministry of Food Security and the Government Agent of Polonnaruwa.
The Prime Minister has instructed only to use warehouses that can store paddy for period of about six to seven months safely. The paddy purchased from the farmers is now being stored at warehouses belonging to Cooperative Societies. The Cooperative Societies had purchased the paddy harvest of the last season.
The Prime Minister has given instructions to expedite the process of purchasing the Yala season paddy crop from the farmers across the country.