The Deshiya Govi Handa organization will launch a nationwide farmers’ strike beginning today, halting all cultivation, transportation, and trading activities across farms island-wide in protest over the government’s failure to protect local farmers.
Announcing the decision at a press conference in Colombo yesterday (09), the organization said the strike was prompted by the government’s failure to respond to repeated appeals to regulate the import of potatoes and big onions, which local growers claim have devastated their livelihoods.
In recent months, big onion farmers and potato farmers have faced severe price drops, leading to mounting frustration among agricultural communities in key farming districts.
Farmers say imported produce continues to flood the local market, driving prices below sustainable levels despite promises of intervention.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that economic centers across the country witnessed unusually high activity over the weekend, as traders rushed to complete transactions ahead of the strike.
A temporary decline in vegetable prices was also observed in several markets as supplies surged before the anticipated shutdown.
The Deshiya Govi Handa organization said that the strike would continue until the government presents a clear policy framework to safeguard domestic agriculture and ensure fair prices for local producers.
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