The Paddy Marketing Board has acquired 7,267 metric tonnes of paddy across multiple districts within a fortnight, operating through 71 purchasing centers at government-set prices.

The Paddy Marketing Board has successfully purchased more than 7,000 metric tonnes of paddy over the past two weeks as part of its ongoing procurement operations across the country. According to Chairman Manjula Pinnalanda, the initiative is being executed through 71 collection centers strategically positioned throughout various rice-growing regions.

Paddy acquisition is currently underway in twelve districts spanning both the northern and central regions of the island. The purchasing locations include Mullaitivu, Anuradhapura, Batticaloa, Hambantota, Kurunegala, Matale, Monaragala, Vavuniya, Ratnapura, Trincomalee, and Kilinochchi.

The government has established fixed purchase rates depending on paddy variety to standardize transactions across all centers. Nadu paddy is being bought at Rs. 120 per kilogram, while Samba varieties command Rs. 130 per kilogram. Keeri Samba, considered a premium variety, fetches Rs. 140 per kilogram.