Cheaper rice for consumers

Irangika RANGE

The Government has decided to provide ponni samba rice from India stipulating the lowest price at Rs. 52 per kilo to Co-operatives islandwide with immediate effect to overcome the rice price hike due to an artificial shortage created by black-marketeers.

Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operatives and Consumer Services Minister Bandula Gunawardana took action yesterday to release 60,000kg of ponni samba to 60 co-operatives through the Food Commissioner Department (FCD) in Narahenpita to customers at a concessionary rate of Rs. 52 per kilo.

He said the FCD would release 10,000 kg of ponni samba rice to each Co-operative out of 11,000 of regional Co-operatives islandwide.

The Government has already imported 75,000 mts of rice from India. An additional 5,500 metric tonnes have also arrived.

A ship carrying another stock of 5,500 mt of rice has reached the Port now and unloading is going on. Once the stock is released from the Port. It will be distributed to Co-operatives through the FCD.

The FCD conducts a quality test before rice stocks are released to the market from FCD stores.

The paddy harvest is being reaped now in Ampara and Kurunegala and rice stocks have arrived at the market in Maradagahamulla. “Once stocks arrive to the market, the rice price would go down,” he said.

The Minister said this decision was taken to despite allegations by several parties regarding the rice price hike.

The Minister said some parties want to create political instability in the country by increasing prices of essential items unfairly.

“They want to create a conspiracy in the country by putting the Government in difficulty.” By gazetting rice as an essential commodity, the Government expects to take legal action against errant traders who sell rice at higher prices.

“We will publish the gazette this week in newspapers to educate the people,” the Minister said. The Consumer Affairs Authority will carry out raids throughout the island to nab errant traders who increase prices in defiance of the Government directive.