Sri Lanka, July 2 -- The National Agrarians' Unity has alleged that government purchases of newly harvested paddy in the Northern and Eastern provinces have been delayed because warehouses operated by the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) remain full of old stocks.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, National Agrarians' Unity Chairman Anuradha Tennakoon said harvesting is progressing under minor irrigation schemes in the districts of Trincomalee, Batticaloa, Mullaitivu, Mannar and Vavuniya, but farmers have been unable to sell their produce to the government.

He claimed that the PMB currently has around 120,000 metric tonnes of paddy in storage and has only begun the process of clearing old stocks. According to Tennakoon, tenders were called to re...