45,000 metric tonnes of paddy for market to control prices

Chamikara Weerasinghe

COLOMBO: The Government will release 45,000 metric tonnes of paddy to the market from its stores to control rice prices.

The Government's Special Task Force for Paddy Purchasing has decided to release the stocks.

The stocks will be sold without calling for tenders according to this decision , sources at Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services Ministry sources said.

The Paddy Purchasing Task Force plans to sell, a kilogramme of samba paddy at Rs. 19.70 and a kilogramme of nadu paddy at Rs. 19.70.

The Committee has decided these rates after considering market conditions and standards of paddy available with them.

A paddy sack would be sold at Rs.20.

A Cabinet paper regarding the sale of 45,000 metric tonnes of paddy, was submitted on Wednesday .

The Committee had pointed out here that the businessmen were interested in buying paddy from the Government under the present market conditions.

The Government has 103,000 metric tonnes of paddy in its stores.