Government to import 70,000 tonnes of Nadu rice

Colombo, November 20 (Daily Mirror)- The government has decided to import Nadu rice subject to maximum of 70,000 tonnes as a solution to the shortage of rice in the market, Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe said today.

He told a news briefing that the rice would be imported through Lanka Sathosa and Sri Lanka State Trading Corporation (STC) and said that the two institutions have been instructed to make available the rice stocks in the market by December 15.

He said Lanka Sathosa and STC had already discussed with the suppliers and that more than 30 suppliers had offered to import rice.

The Minister said imported rice would be sold a kilo of rice at Rs. 220 control price at Lanka Sathosa outlets, Co-Operative outlets and Super market chains.

He said according to the statistics, 4.8 million MTs of paddy harvest had been received in 2023 and 2024 and out of which 3.1 million tonnes are Nadu rice.

"The statistics show that 2.2 million tonnes of Nadu rice can be produced from 3.1 million tonnes of paddy. If we divide 2.2 million tonnes by 12 months,183,000 tonnes of rice can be supplied a month. The country needs only 140,000 tonnes per month. It means that there is a surplus of paddy harvest in the country. However, there is a shortage in the market. We can't completely rely on the data of the Agricultural Ministry either," he said.

The Minister said rice would be imported so as not to affect paddy harvest in the coming Maha season and added that only 70,000 tonnes will be imported which is sufficient only for two weeks.