Govt to import rice to counter artificial hike

Irangika Range

COLOMBO: The Cost of Living (CoL) Committee chaired by Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka met on Monday where it was decided to import rice as a means of countering the machinations of traders of creating an artificial price increase in rice in the open market.

Addressing a press-conference, Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operative and Consumer Service Minister Bandula Gunawardana said the committee has also decided to remove taxes on rice imports.

“Consumers have got used to rice flour due to wheat flour price hike in the market. But this attempt of increasing the price of rice by some traders is very unfair considering the prevailing high rice flour consumption.”

This decision was taken to break the monopoly of the traders.

“We urge them not to create an unnecessary rice shortages by concealing rice stocks.”

He said when the Government imports rice, the price in the open market will automatically drop.