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Will not increase prices of rice for any reason: Minister Bandula
Trade Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardane yesterday assured that prices of rice in the market will not be increased for any reason.
The minister expressed these views at a discussion held with the small and medium scale rice mill owners with the aim of dispelling pretensions of artificial rice shortages and thereby causing inconvenience to the consumers.
He said the government has decided not to increase the maximum retail price set for consumers.
“We already have information about rice traders who are hoarding stocks of paddy and not releasing them to the market in the hope of increasing prices. We will not allow anyone to create a artificial rice shortage," he said.
With the approval of the Cabinet, he said the Government will have to import about 100,000 metric tons of rice with the sole intention of maintaining a safe stock to meet the daily demand of consumers without any increase in prices as there is no room for artificial rice shortage in the country.
The Minister emphasised that there would be no need to import rice if the traders released the hoarded rice to the market.
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