Sri Lanka’s largest granary with state-of-the-art facilities constructed at Buttala, Moneragala will be declared open on Sunday (31).
The opening ceremony will be held under the patronage of Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake. The project funded by the World Bank cost Rs. 260 million.
The complex can store 20,000 tonnes of grain. Harvests trucked to the facility will be subject to strict quality controls to ensure durability. When farmers bring in their produce, the Manager of the Warehouse Complex, having determined the quantity and quality of the stock will issue a receipt which can be furnished to any state bank and 50% of the value of the stock can be obtained as an advance.
During the cultivation season where there are surpluses excess stocks can be stored at this facility. Subsequently, the stocks will be released to the market and as a result the farmers will get higher prices for their produce as the middlemen are eliminated through this process. Farmers can also keep their stocks of grains at the facility until market prices improve.
The first such facility in Sri Lanka was established at Galenbindunuwewa, Anuradhapura and a similar complex is now under construction in Mannar. Further, the Ministry of Finance has planned to construct three more granary complexes in Kilinochchi, Polonnaruwa and Embilipitiya this year in line with its overall plan to ensure a better deal for local farmers. The government through the 2016 budget has allocated Rs. 1,000 million for these projects.
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