Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday instructed officials to provide credit facilities to small and medium scale rice producers to support their businesses.

The Prime Minister made this directive while was participating in a discussion with representatives of the All Ceylon Small and Medium Scale Rice Growers Association held in a Committee Room in Parliament yesterday, the Prime Ministers Media Division said.

The Prime Minister also instructed the authorities to give priority to resolving problems of small and medium scale rice producers over large scale rice producers. The meeting was held to discuss several issues including obtaining a fixed controlled price for rice which will be updated in six months from February 1 according to the prevailing guaranteed paddy prices in the country.

Attention was also drawn to providing facilities to small and medium scale paddy mill owners to repay their loans at concessional rates.

Minister of Trade Dr. Bandula Gunawardena, Ministers of State Lasantha Alagiyawanna, Shehan Semasinghe, Indika Anuruddha, Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Shashindra Rajapaksa, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance S.R. Attygalle, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister Chaminda Kularatne, Banks and heads of Government agencies including Paddy Marketing Board officials and small and medium scale rice producers were present.