Don’t jack up prices:

Minister warns rice retailers

Irangika RANGE

Co-operatives and Internal Trade Minister Johnston Fernando has instructed Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) Chairman Rumi Marzook to take stern action against traders who sell rice above the stipulated prices.

Minister Johnston Fernando

“We will carry out raids from today to nab errant traders who sell rice at a higher price than the State stipulated maximum retail price,” Minister Fernando told the Daily News.

The Minister emphasized that there is no rice shortage.

“We have sufficient paddy stocks in our warehouses islandwide and they will be released to the market according to the consumer demand in the future,” he said.

The Government is committed to protect consumers and will not allow errant traders to exploit consumers in the disaster situation.

It is the responsibility of all of us to provide relief to the public who have been displaced in many parts of the country. “I will not hesitate to take stern action against errant traders who try to fleece the public affected by the natural disaster,” he added. “If any trader tries to earn huge profits by placing unnecessary burdens on consumers during this disaster period they will be prosecuted,” he said.

The maximum retail price for a kilo of Samba rice is Rs 70 while the maximum retail prices for Nadu, red raw and white raw rice is Rs 60 respectively.

“We have increased the raids to nab errant traders who engage in deceptive conduct and unfair trade practices in this situation,” he said.

He informed traders to regularly release adequate rice stocks to the market emphasizing that the law will be strictly imposed from today against errant traders who try to hoard rice and create an artificial shortage. The Minister further said consumers can lodge their complaints about unfair trading to the CAA head office in Colombo or regional offices across the country.