Budget – Committee stage 11th Day

Votes of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
"We are farmers who have been hit by a poor agricultural policy"

Contd from Saturday

Rohan Abeygoonesekara (UNP — Kandy District) said: There is a need for an institution to facilitate a programme similar to the now inoperative upcountry village reawakening programme. Gherkin cultivation has been neglected in the recent years. Today farmers are unable to obtain loans if their lands are not insured. The recently established international chains like McDonalds import all ingredients, without using local raw materials.

Chamal Rajapaksa (PA — Hambantota Dist) said: Transportation damages of agricultural products have been reduced to a minimum. Production to non-traditional export crops have expanded during the past few years. Title registration has been a long felt need in this country. The minister has successfully initiated this scheme when so many others failed in their attempt. We request you to speed it up for the benefit of many.

P. Harrison (UNP — Anuradhapura District) said: The minister has done much for farmers. Why is the government not supporting you? The chillie farmers in the Mahaweli areas produced one third of the country’s is demand but they had to destroy it as the Trade Minister imported chillies at 50 rupees during harvest time. You are not receiving any support from the Trade Ministry. At least stop the next consignment of imported rice.

Make use of the agriculture graduates who are struggling to find employment, to improve the agricultural sector. The farming wells also appear to be built according to political preference.

Tissa Karaliyadda (PA — Anuradhapura District) said: The farming wells were distributed in our area without political preference.

R. M. Ratnayaka (UNP — Badulla District) said: The upper Uva farmers are faced with problems of land scarcity. Release at least land under one acre from the Paddy Lands Act. The tenant cultivators enjoy myriad benefits.

Tilak Mahalekam (PA — Polonnaruwa District) said: I request the minister to reinstate the farmer advisory programme with the help of the govi niyamakas. The minister should also make these niyamakas who are G.C.E. O/L qualified, permanent.

A private company is reported to have undertaken to grow seed paddy which should be used to improve production.

S. Sathasivam (CWC — Nuwara Eliya District): Why are we spending colossal amounts to import food? Agricultural research should be developed to improve our production. What are the concessions given to the agricultural sector? We don’t have the ability to become an industrial nation. It would be appropriate if greater emphasis is laid on agriculture, and more assistance given to poor farmers.

We are farmers, who have been hit by poor agricultural policy. What was the outcome of the tissue culture programme? The agriculture department and other affiliated institutions should work more closely with the farmers.

Sri Lanka is blessed with a rich diversity of fruits and vegetables when compared to other countries. But it is unfortunate that we have not developed our research to capitalise on our natural wealth.

Ediriweera Weerawardane (PA — Kandy District) said: The minister has done a great deal to develop agriculture in the Kandy District. One of the problems we had to face, however, is that non-development of the irrigation works which are under the administration of the Provincial Councils.

Kundasale had overrun by wildernes during UNP rule. Today it is functioning as an efficient farm. It is now producing seed material too.

The present Minister of Agriculture and Land also succeeded in solving the long standing problem of deedless lands. Except for a very few people, land deeds have been given to those who were occupying state land.

H. G. P. Nelson (UNP — Polonnaruwa District) said: When a measure of rice was ten cents late D. S. Senanayake launched his agricultural settlement drive.

He brought people to Polonnaruwa and settled them in the newly reclaimed land almost forcibly. Each settler was given 5 acres of wet land and 3 ares of high land. The first settlers underwent immense difficulties beset by malaria and other diseases. Many leftists nicknamed D. S. Senanayake "Kele John", criticized his work as madness.

Today rice is supplied to the entire country from the Polonnaruwa District. After D. S. many great men continued the good work.

Today the farmer has fallen from the frying pan into the fire.

Many roads, in paddy cultivating areas in the Polonnaruwa District need re-making.

You must continue the practice of celebrating Farmers’ Day. The Farmers’ Day was introduced by the UNP.

C. B. Ratnayake (PA — Nuwara Eliya Dist.) said: The agriculture sector faces an uphill task in an open market economy. The minister has done an immense service to boost this sector.

The proper management of land is important. We should identify social and climatic differences and farmers should be guided by agricultural instructors. I hope the govi niyamakas would be made permanent so they can carry out their tasks effectively.

V. G. Jinadasa (UNP — Matale District) said: The farmers in our area require firearms to protect their land. They can’t get these firearms from the police stations easily. The people of Sigiriya are worried about a proposed airport, for fear of displacement from their cultivable land. The farmers should not be discouraged at any point. This is essential for agricultural development.

In the Pelwehera seed farm out of 800 acres 400 acres have not been planted. I hope the minister takes a decision to remedy the situation.

Wijeymuni Soysa (PA — Moneragala District) said: When our government took over, the farmers were drinking poison. The open economy has dealt a big blow to agriculture. The inefficiency of certain provincial councils and the corruption of some officials have contributed to the poor performance of the agriculture sector. The UNP does not have the right to moan about agriculture.

Thurairajasingham (TULF - Batticaloa district): Land allotment did not take place equitably with fair allocations to the minorities.

The agricultural inspectors who once performed vital service must be appointed again. Consider the graduates for these posts.

Seed paddy has not reached the Batticaloa District. The Eastern Province seems to be receiving step motherly treatment.

They have not made proper allocations for our district and as a result irrigation schemes have suffered.

The hulling mills in our areas have to be given loans. It’s the government that will benefit. One of the proposed eight labs should be built in our district.

D. M. Bandaranayaka (PA - Moneragala District) said: I was the first person to introduce the Freedom from Hunger Campaign. Under its funds we were able to instal a series of wells in the Yapahuwa electorate.

It is true that fourteen tanks were restored in the Kurunegala District. These tanks were restored out of IFAD funds. The contractor was Freedom from Hunger Campaign.

A piece of land was given to the hunger campaign to build an office at Narahenpita. However no building came up.

Your government has reintroduced the five percent tax on agricultural equipment. You have also introduced the duty on tractors too. You are hitting the farmer below the belt. Prof. G. L. Peiris has introduced these taxes, but none of the other ministers were aware of it. Neither the Agricultural Minister is aware of it.

The Agricultural Minister is a man who wants to do something for the farmer. But something is preventing him.

Sarath Ranawaka (UNP - Kalutara District) said: The government speakers were boasting about granting what are called Jayabhumi Deeds. Jayabhumi is the substitution of Swarnabhumi deeds the UNP gave to state land holders.

Swarnabhumi deeds were given after surveying lands and demarcating lands by boundary stones. But some disputes have arisen over these Swarnabhumi deeds too.

How do you give the so-called Jayabhumi deeds. You don’t survey the lands. You just mention the names of the owners of lands bordering a land connected with the deed. Would you say the holder of the land under your so-called Jayabhumi deeds would enjoy a better title to them.

My other question is how the Land Reform Commission alienates land belonging to the state. This is a highly illegal practice and subject to judicial intervention. The Supreme Court has already held such land deals as illegal.

The President told the people at a recent TV interview that you inherited from the UNP an agriculture that had been neglected beyond recovery.

Your leader said her government would now use modern technology to develop agriculture. But what have you done to employ modern technology? Nothing. You have reduced the capital expenditure instead of increasing it. How can you utilise modern technology?

You imported rice claiming that you want to bring down the prices of rice. Imports were exempt from import duty. But prices remained the same. This is why I say you have put our cultivators into trouble.

Salinda Dissanayake, (Deputy Minister of Agriculture) said: Production of seed potatoes at the Seetha Eliya Seed Farm is progressing well.

All stages of the seed potato production are found to be successful.

Hingurakgoda Seed Farm is to be handed over to CIC by the BOI. The process started in August this year. When the farm was handed over to CIC 200 acres of seed farm also were handed over. Rupees 3.05 million was spent by the Department of Agriculture.

We can supply the full quota of seed paddy to the farmers of the North East. We must first meet the members of the North East and then take action to supply the required seed paddy.

With regard to questions raised by Rukman Senanayake, who said that agriculture had declined, I would say that agricultural produce has increased by four fold. There was no decline.

There was an allegation that paddy prices have come down. The fact, however is that we have increased the purchasing price of a kilogram of paddy. In Polonnaruwa a kilogram of paddy is about Rs. 13.50.

We have to re-think about the use of agro-chemicals. The dependence on agro-chemicals is rather dangerous.

Dharmadasa Banda (UNP - Badulla Dist) said: The government claimed that they inherited a direct agricultural sector. But how did they export onions and rice the moment they came to power if the agriculture was destroyed as they claim? If it was broken down as they claimed they had ample time to resurrect it.

The Hingurana Seed Farm has been taken over by a private company. Meanwhile imported seed doesn’t sell. Why don’t you probe the AIB fraud I mentioned?

You said you are going to close down the BMB. If you are to protect the farmer you must have an institution connected to the government. Otherwise you will not be able to save the farmer.

Is the Hadabima Authority Report out or not.

D. M. Jayaratne, Minister of Agriculture and Land, winding up the debate said: The allegation made by Rukman Senanayake about a disputed payment was inquired into and it has been reported to me that there was no irregularity in this payment. The payment has been made to the contractor who constructed a building.

The other complaint made by Rukman Senanayake that an officer had been given a promotion with restrospective effect from 1991. According to the report provided to me in connection with this complaint the promotion has been given according to an order of the Labour Department on an application made by the officer. There is no irregularity.

The votes were approved.