Firearm licenses for farmers with over 01 acres of farmland

Colombo (News 1st); Farmers with more than 01 acres of farmland will be issued firearms licenses, said Mahindananda Aluthgamage, the Minister of Agriculture on Thursday (11).

Speaking in Parliament the Minister said in the past farmers were issued firearms to protect their crops, however, it was amended later on where only a farmer with over 05 acres of farmland can possess a firearm. 'Traditional farmers only own an acre or a little more than that, and therefore their farmlands were always at risk," said the Minister adding the following consultation with the Ministry of Defence permission was granted to issue firearm licenses to farmers with more than one acre of farmland.