CAA intensifies raids on errant rice traders

By L. S. A. Wedaarachchi and Ananda Kannangara

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) will continue its raids to crackdown on errant traders who fail to comply with the government’s stipulated rice prices.

CAA officials sealed some shops in Pettah and seized stocks of rice during the past two days.

The president of the Essential Food Importers and Distributors Association, S. Samy said that his Association agreed to sell rice at prices stipulated by the Government.

He said that they will sell rice at the stipulated prices when they open their shops tomorrow after the new year holidays.

The Secretary of the Rice Millers’ Association H. M. Ratnayaka said that his Association will meet tomorrow to discuss the new prices for rice.

Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Consumer Affairs and Cooperatives Dr. R. M. K. Ratnayaka said that the price ceiling was imposed after a series of discussions held with rice millers’ associations and leading rice traders.

Under the new rice price structure the traders can earn a reasonable profit, he said.

He said there was no need to import rice when we have two million tonnes of harvested paddy. “We had a very good Maha season. We may have another good harvest in the near future from the Yala season. Due to various reasons other countries in our region did not have a good harvest as Sri Lanka he said.

Certain unscrupulous mill owners and traders created an unreasonable price hike in the market during the past few months, he said.

Divisional Secretariats all over the country will conduct raids from tomorrow on errant rice traders who defy the Government’s directive to sell rice at stipulated prices, announced by the Trade Ministry on April 16 midnight.

According to a senior official of the Consumer Protection Authority (CPA), the police in the respective areas will assist the authorised officials in the Divisional Secretariats to carry out the raids.

Trade Minister Bandula Gunawaredana told the Sunday Observer that complaints were received on Thursday and Friday from various districts in the country on errant traders who hoard rice stocks and also refrain from displaying price lists.

He said the CPA has been empowered to take legal action against any trader who does not adhere to the Government’s directive by violating Clauses 16 and 17 of the Consumer Protection Act.

The Minister said that certain rice traders in Panadura, Homagama, Galle, Ratnapura and Matara openly violate the Government’s directive by displaying the old price lists and demand that customers purchase rice at the old price.

“Therefore, tough action will also be taken against such traders from tomorrow to protect consumers,” he said.