The government has set new maximum prices for rice to protect consumers and ensure affordability. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake issued these directives during a meeting with officials from the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, along with rice traders, held today (December 7) at the Presidential Secretariat.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed rice traders to sell Nadu rice to consumers at a wholesale price of Rs. 225 per kilo and a retail price of Rs. 230 per kilo.
The President also instructed the officials Consumer Affairs Authority to closely monitor the situation over the next ten days and strictly enforce the law against rice mill owners who fail to comply with the fixed prices.
The President highlighted that the largest investments in the country are allocated to the Ministry of Highways, followed by the Irrigation and Agriculture sectors, with substantial subsidies provided to farmers.
The President further pointed out that low-interest bank loans have been provided to traders for the purchase of paddy and urged rice traders not to undermine the public’s right to access affordable rice.
As a result, the following rice prices will be implemented
Wholesale price of a kilo of Nadu rice: Rs. 225, Retail price: Rs. 230
Wholesale price of a kilo of white rice: Rs. 215, Retail price: Rs. 220
Retail price of a kilo of imported Nadu rice: Rs. 220
Wholesale price of a kilo of Samba rice: Rs. 235, Retail price: Rs. 240
Wholesale price of a kilo of Keeri Samba: Rs. 255, Retail price: Rs. 260
The President also strongly criticized rice mill owners for frequently changing rice prices on a daily basis and instructed the Consumer Affairs Authority to monitor the daily rice production and distribution by mills.
Furthermore, President Dissanayake urged the rice traders to collaborate with the government in resolving the rice-related issues in an amicable manner.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe, Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development A. Wimalenthirajah, Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation D.P. Wickramasinghe, Director General of the Department of Development Finance Malarmathy Gangatharan, Acting Director General of the Department of Agriculture Dr. S.K. Wasala, Chairman of the Consumer Affairs Authority HemanthaSamarakoon, Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board A.M.U. Pinnalanda, Director of the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agricultural Research and Training Institute A.L. Chandika.
