A protest is currently underway near the Mattala Airport, blocking lorries from entering the premises with the first stock of paddy to be stored at the airport. 

The storing the surplus paddy harvest of Hambantota district at unused warehouses at the Mattala Airport commenced today.

One lorry carrying paddy stocks, which are to be stored at an unused section of the airport, had entered the premises this morning, however protesters had prevented two more lorries from entering.

The protesters state that using the international airport to store paddy cannot be allowed and that it should not be used for such a purpose. 

Sri Lanka’s second international airport, built at a cost of USD 210 million, could be used as a temporary paddy storage facility.

The Chair of the state-owned Paddy Marketing Board (PMB), M D Dissanayake in a letter to the Southern Regional Manager W S Thilakaratne had recently explored the possibility of using the airport’s facilities for paddy storage.

All PMB paddy stores in Hambantota have reached full capacity and the PMB needs additional storage space. 

Relevant authorities had alter granted approval for the proposal. 

The Mattala Mahinda Rajapaksa International Airport, built with Chinese funds, at the southern port district of Hambantota was commissioned in 2013.