Artificial rice shortage:

Govt to import rice

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday said the Government will import rice as they have received information that a handful of businessmen associated with the UNP are trying to create an artificial rice shortage by hiding rice stocks.

The President was speaking at a meeting held at President’s House in Kandy yesterday.

He said the Government has already held discussions with the Governments of Pakistan, Vietnam and the Phillippines in this regard. The businessmen hiding rice stocks will have to issue them to market with the import of rice, he said.

President Rajapaksa recollected that some elements hid essential commodities to create an artificial shortage in the market to achieve their narrow political gains in 1977.