President Anura Dissanayake has assured that within two weeks, no rice will be sold below the guaranteed price in Sri Lanka. Speaking at a National People’s Power meeting in Homagama, he emphasized the government’s commitment to stabilizing rice prices and ensuring proper regulation of the paddy and rice market.
“We have allocated Rs. 500 million for paddy purchases, the highest amount in recent times. We are also renovating government warehouses with a capacity of 300,000 metric tons. Although we can’t purchase all the paddy produced, we plan to allow private sector paddy collectors to use these warehouses to store their stocks,” the President explained.
To strengthen oversight, the government has mandated that all paddy collectors and rice millers register with the authorities. “From now on, no one can collect or process paddy without registration. Additionally, registered entities must submit weekly reports on the amount of paddy they have collected,” he added.
The President addressed concerns about discrepancies in rice stocks, highlighting a recent statement from the Ministry of Agriculture that one million metric tons of rice were unaccounted for. He stressed the need for accurate data on rice production, storage, and consumption to prevent such gaps.
He further explained that the combined capacity of government warehouses and major mill owners’ storage facilities in Polonnaruwa totals six million metric tons. “Even with full storage capacity, we must be cautious and vigilant. The era of carelessness is over,” the President said.
To address these challenges, the government is developing a comprehensive data system to monitor rice production and consumption. “We are working quickly to build a robust system. In two weeks, there will not be a single grain of rice in the market sold below the guaranteed price. Just give me two weeks,” he concluded, reiterating his confidence in the government’s efforts to stabilize the rice market and ensure fair pricing.
