President directs Food Security Committee

President Mahinda Rajapaksa Tuesday directed members of the Food Security and Cost of Living Committee to formulate a systematic plan in advance to face a possible food crisis in the immediate future.

Addressing a meeting of the Committee held at Temple Trees the President said the possibility of a food crisis in the world in the future has now emerged due to a string of natural disasters. Even powerful countries may face such a situation by April this year, he said.

He said a sizeable portion of food stocks had been destroyed in the world last year due to natural disasters which cost nearly 600,000 lives.

Almost 15 to 20 percent of the food harvest in Sri Lanka may be lost due to current inclement weather conditions.

The President who observed that the price of coconuts had been controlled to a certain extent added that unlimited stocks of coconut could be provided through Lak Sathosa and CWE outlets.

He also stressed the need to monitor the coconut subsidy scheme to find out whether the subsidy given is properly used considering the future demand.