Sri Lanka, July 15 -- Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa yesterday said that the NPP relied heavily on farmers to build their political movement but has failed to protect them after taking power.

"The Government is continuously insulting and oppressing the farmers of our country.

The farmers who voted for the government in millions have become Kasippu (illicit moonshine) drinkers and artificial farmers today,"he said. The farmer who was an asset to the NPP then has become a headache today, he said. He highlights that farmers are struggling to survive because government policies keep the fixed buying price lower than actual production costs, leading to massive financial losses for the agricultural community.

While the NPP praised farmer...