Buttala, March 31 — President Anura Dissanayake acknowledged that despite earlier plans to completely halt rice imports in 2024, weather disruptions have forced the government to reconsider.
Speaking at a National People’s Power local government election rally titled “Jaya Niyatayi Gama Apatay” in Buttala, the President stated that unseasonal rains during both the cultivation and harvesting periods have impacted local rice production, necessitating limited imports.
“We had a clear program to ensure not a single grain of rice would be imported this year,” he said. “But due to the rain, some rice will now have to be brought in from overseas.”
President Dissanayake also addressed issues related to compensation distribution following the May 9, 2022 unrest. He alleged that in the Sewanagala area, compensation for a house that was burned down had been wrongfully received by an individual named Rajapaksa, rather than the rightful owner of the land and property. He promised that further information on the matter would be made public soon.
