Govt to import rice to check prices during festive season

by Anura Maitipe

The Government has decided to import 75,000 metric tonnes of rice to bring down the price of rice during the festive season, Minister of Mahaweli Development and Agriculture Maithripala Sirisena told the 'Sunday Observer' .

This decision was taken at a meeting held between President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the wholesale rice dealers, mill owners and the Agriculture Ministry, he said.

The Minister said, there was no shortage of rice in the market and the current price hike of rice was artificially created by some wholesale dealers in Colombo who make a profit of Rs. 6.00 to Rs. 10.00 per kilogram of rice.

The aim of wholesale dealers is to get the maximum out of the recent price hike of wheat flour which is the alternative to rice, he said.

The Government has also taken steps to release 50,000 metric tonnes out of 60,000 metric tonnes of paddy to the market. The rice will be sold at a reasonable price through the cooperative centres in the country, he said.

The Government has issued a directive to the district secretaries to monitor private paddy mills and to inform the Ministry of Agriculture about the paddy stock with them.

With the increase in wheat flour prices the consumption of rice has increased by 70 percent and unscrupulous traders are trying to make use of this opportunity to maximise profits, the Minister said.

The Government has taken the initiative to rectify loopholes in the Consumer Authority Act for the benefit of consumers. Laws will be enforced to protect consumers from unscrupulous traders, he said.