A special program has been formulated with the intervention of the Army to purchase the paddy harvest of farmers at reasonable prices reports a pro-Gotabaya Rajapaksa web site cnews.
Army Commander Shavendra Silva has said that the procurement of paddy will be through Government Agents coordinated by Security Forces Headquarters located throughout the country.
According to him the new program has been implemented on the instructions of President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to combat the rice mafia in the country.
The Army Commander has further stated that the aim of this program is to prevent harvest of farmers from getting into the hands of middlemen and paying a lower price to them.