Sri Lanka President Dissanayake Orders Funds for Strategic Paddy Reserves Ahead of Yala Season

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake highlighted the strategic importance of maintaining adequate paddy reserves in Sri Lanka and instructed the Ministry of Finance to allocate funds for purchasing rice during the 2026 Yala cultivation season. He expressed concern that a large portion of paddy bought in the previous Yala season remains unreleased to the market and called for prompt action to clear those stocks.

The president also ordered a review of district‑level storage facilities and stressed the need for an accurate data system to monitor warehouse conditions and national buffer‑stock levels, insisting that reserve management should receive special, non‑routine attention. The meeting was attended by senior officials including the Ministers of Agriculture and Trade, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, and senior agricultural department heads.