Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe stated in Parliament that the government has introduced measures to address challenges faced by potato and big onion farmers in Sri Lanka.
The minister said that the issue requires long-term planning and confirmed that Rs. 1,000 million (about US$3.2 million) has been allocated in Budget 2026 to support the purchase and storage of potatoes and big onions.
He added that while the Opposition has attempted to turn the matter into a national issue, the government has already taken necessary steps to provide what he described as a fair solution. "The necessary interventions have been made to provide a fair solution to this issue," he said.
Minister Samarasinghe made the statement in response to a point of order raised by SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekara. The minister further noted that, regardless of the opposition's political stance, the government has been implementing a program for potato and large onion cultivation and procurement since August.
SJB MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, who raised the concern, said that the farming community has been facing difficulties due to the absence of a structured government program for purchasing potatoes and onions.
Source: Daily News
