SL donates 50,000 tons of rice to WFP

15 March 2014 04:32 am Views - 3585

Sri Lanka yesterday donated 50,000 metric tons of rice to the World Food Program (WFP) for free supply to 10 countries in Central Africa and South Asia.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa made a symbolic handover of the consignment of rice to the WFP Representative and Country Director Ismail Omer at the Presidential Secretariat.

The President stated in the 2014 Budget that Sri Lanka would make a donation of rice to the WFP in appreciation of the assistance given by WFP in the past to feed displaced people affected by internal conflict, tsunami, and various other natural disasters.

The government’s donation of rice stock of 50,000 MT worth more than Rs.3 billion will be supplied to several Central African countries and Bangladesh and Nepal in South Asia, the WFP Representative said. 10,000 metric tons will be supplied for distribution in the Northern Province, Mr Omer added.

Announcing the donation, the government noted that Sri Lanka has transformed from a rice recipient country under the WFP to a donor country in achieving self-sufficiency in rice.

According to the Finance Ministry, Sri Lanka has reported its highest paddy production in 2013 with 4.6 million MT. (Asian Tribune)