The supply of seed, now handled mainly by the private sector, will soon be handled by the government sector, Agriculture Development Minister Chamal Rajapkse said. He assured that the seed farms, functioning under the Agriculture Ministry, will not be privatised.

"Seeds are the main requirement in Agriculture. Today, the main seed provider to the farmers are private sector companies, due to the government’s seed farms having been sold to private companies by previous governments. The farmers have to face various problems due to the monopoly of the private sector. This should be changed," Minister Rajapakse said.

He said the UPFA government was not going to privatise any government institution.

He said that the Bata Atha seed farm in the Hambantota district is a very important one among Ministry’s seed farms and the Ministry had plans to start an Agriculture Garden in the 180-acre farm. The construction of the Garden will commence this month.

The Bata Atha farm was also scheduled for privatisation in 1990. "We opposed the deal at that time from the opposition", he added. (D.E.)