Economic Centres will be kept open on August 24 and 25 (today and tomorrow) in order to help farmer communities to sell their agricultural products without any delay.
Accordingly, major Economic Centres including the Peliyagoda Manning market, Dambulla, Tambuththegama and Narahenpita Economic Centres are open today and tomorrow from early morning till late evening to enable vegetable farmers to sell their stocks convincingly under one roof.
Agriculture Minister, Mahindananda Aluthgamage said this decision was taken in response to repeated requests made by farmer organisations and also farmer communities in several agricultural areas to open Economic Centres without further delay.
He said most farmers complained that they had to dump large stocks of vegetables that were brought to the economic centres during the last few days as they were unable to sell them. Minister Aluthgamage said that steps have also been taken to distribute vegetables through countrywide divisional secretariats using public and private transport.
The Minister also directed Police and other security personnel to allow vegetable traders to transport vegetables to economic centres without any hindrance.
Meanwhile, All Ceylon Farmer Federation (ACFF) National Organizer, Namal Karunaratne said farmer communities in vegetable producing areas face immense hardships and therefore steps should be taken immediately to make a proper distribution method even after these two days.
He also asked authorities to introduce a proper vegetable distribution method for farmer communities during this pandemic situation period at least to sell their products such as vegetable, fruit, fish etc. via online portals maintaining health guidelines.
Mr. Karunaratne further proposed authorities to visit vegetable producing areas at Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Polonnaruwa and Hambantota so that they themselves could inspect the situation clearly.
