Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries Mahinda Amaraweera stated that the Government of China’s Hainan Province has expressed its agreement to establish a rice processing center with modern technology in the Hambantota district for the southern province which has not been established by any public or private sector so far.
The new rice processing center will be established mainly in the two villages of Angunakopalassa Jandura and Guruwala and will be run under a cooperative system with the participation of the unemployed youth community.
The minister also mentioned that he made a request to the government in this regard during an official visit to China’s Hainan province two weeks ago, and accordingly, there was a positive response.
Yesterday (06) the minister mentioned this while providing further necessary financial provisions and equipment for the mushroom production village established in the vicinity of Guruwala and Jandura villages.
Under this mushroom production village, more than 200 families are successfully growing mushrooms and by selling them, they earn a lot of income daily.
Yesterday, the minister distributed 10 million rupees worth of equipment and financial allocations to the mushroom producers.
The minister who expressed his views here-
There is a huge monopoly for rice production in this country. The price of rice is determined by a few rice mill owners in this monopoly. In order to break this authority, the government should operate several high-tech rice mills in the country. It is not something that the government can do alone. Therefore, we are preparing a cooperative work arrangement for this first rice processing center using the youth of Jandura and Guruwala.
We are setting up this rice mill with modern technology facilities for the first time in Hambantota district. This rice mill, which is equipped with modern components that are not currently available in Hambantota district, can turn the rice produced in the entire southern province into rice and distribute it nationwide. The minister also mentioned that according to the discussions with the Chinese government, good responses have been received so far.