The Government began on August 22 procurement buying of the 2016 secondary Yala paddy crop, it allocated LKR 4.6 billion (USD 31 million) to purchase 120 000 tonnes of paddy. Under the procurement programme, farmers will receive LKR 50 (USD 0.33) per kg of Keeri Samba, LKR 41 (USD 0.27) per kg of Samba and LKR 38 (USD 0.25) per kg of Nadu paddy. The 2016 Yala crop, which accounts for 40 percent of the annual production, is expected at nearly 1.6 million tonnes, some 20 percent down from last year’s record level due to unfavorable weather at planting time.