Prices down on essential consumer items:

Rice, potatoes, big onions cheaper

Irangika Range

Trade, Marketing Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Services Minister Bandula Gunawardene said that sufficient stocks of rice, potatoes and onions have reached Colombo over the weekend.

Following the tax relief on rice imports granted by the Government recently, over 44, 000 metric tonnes of rice imported by the private sector traders will be released from the Colombo Port over this weekend,” the Minister said.

White rice: Rs 41 to 51	Big onion: Rs 45 to 60	Potatoes: Rs 50 to 60

Therefore,enough rice stocks will be released to the market to prevent any shortages during the festive season. He said adequate rice stocks imported by the Government from the Philippines, Pakistan and India will arrive during this week.

Therefore, consumers will be able to purchase rice at lower prices as adequate stocks will be available from this week.

“We have taken this decision to prevent traders go ahead with their plans to create an artificial scarcity to jack up prices during the season,” he said.

Therefore, if traders try to create an artificial scarcity of rice in the market, they will be prosecuted under the ‘Consumer Protection Law by the Consumer Affairs Authority.

The Minister said that the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has been instructed to carry out islandwide raids to nab the errant traders.

Meanwhile, a Pettah Wholesale Traders Association Spokesman said enough stocks of imported rice will be supplied to the market over the weekend. A adequate stocks of potatoes and onions had also imported to the country before the Christmas season.

Prices of rice, potatoes and onions have slashed in the Pettah wholesale market due to these imports.

Accordingly, a price of a kilo of white raw rice has reduced to the range of Rs.41-Rs.51. In addition, price of a kilo of big onions is sustained between Rs.45-Rs.60 while the price of a kilo of potatoes is maintained with the rates between Rs.50 to Rs.60 in the Pettah wholesale market.

Meanwhile, Lak Sathosa Chairman Nalin Fernando said the Lak Sathosa and Sathosa networks across the country are engaged in providing sufficient rice stocks to the consumers without any shortage.

He said that consumers can purchase sufficient stocks of rice through outlets of Sathosa, Lak Sathosa, Cooperatives and Coop cities located across the country.

Accordingly, Lak Sathosa sells a kilo of rice at Rs.57.50. A kilo of Pakistan basmathi and packeted basmathi rice are also available at Rs.75 and Rs.90 respectively at countrywide Lak Sathosa branches.