There are more serious issues to be tackled in the agriculture sector than ‘going behind the buffalos’ at Wap Magul ceremonies, Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs Dr. Sarath Amunugama told The Island yesterday. He said it was more important to ensure that the farmer got a reasonable price for his produce and that subsidised fertilisers were used for actual paddy production instead of being leaked to the black market.

The major problem was the deteriorating standards of research institutions in Sri Lanka. he said.