Nadu at Rs.59

Irangika Range

The Government will release Red Nadu rice that had arrived from the North and East Provinces with a ceiling price of Rs. 59 per kilo to Co-operatives islandwide from this week in order to overcome the rise in price of rice due to an artificial shortage created by blackmarketeers.

Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operatives and Consumer Services Minister Bandula Gunawardhana told the Daily News that over 60,000mts of Rathu Nadu rice is available in many areas of both North and East.

"We have taken immediate measures to transport these rice stocks to Colombo aiming to meet the demand of the consumers," he said. Sufficient rice stocks will be delivered to the Food Commissioner's Department (FCD) in Narahenpita under the directive of District Secretariats of the two provinces from tomorrow. The first stock will be released to Lak Sathosa branches and Co-operatives in the countrywide through the FCD to provide Nadu to consumers at the concessionary rate of Rs. 59 per kilo.

He said this decision was taken despite the allegations made by several parties regading the increase in rice prices. The Minister said certain parties planned to create political instability by unfairly increasing prices of essential items. "They want to create a conspiracy to place the Government in difficulty and as a responsible Government, we are always committed to providing relief to consumers," he said.