Rice consumption up

Ishara MUDUGAMUWA

Per- capita rice consumption in Sri Lanka increased by four kilograms this year, Agriculture Technologies Services Additional Secretary Shantha Emitiyagoda said.

According to the Additional Secretary per-capita rice consumption in 2007 was 100 kilograms where as in 2008 it was 108 kilograms. In 2010, it had risen to 114 kilograms due to wheat flour consumption reduction, Emitiyagoda said.

Rice production in the country increased rapidly during the last few years. In 2008 Sri Lanka produced 3.8 million metric tons of paddy and in 2010 it rose to 4.2 million metric tons. Wheat flour imports have also decreased this year, he said. Rice cultivation areas were expanded by 42,000 hectares only in the Northern and Eastern Provinces and in other areas by 20,000 hectares. Sri Lanka will be self-sufficient in rice after the yala season, by producing more than 10 percent of the country's rice requirement, Emitiyagoda said.

The Agriculture Ministry however will import Samba and Basmathi. The Ministry will also encourage people to produce more rice based food products and increase consumption, the Additional Secretary said.