The Ministry of Trade assures that there are enough stocks of 'Nadu' rice in Sri Lanka, according to a recent report by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) on national rice supplies.
The Secretary to the Ministry of Trade M.M. Naimuddin accused rice mill owners of creating an artificial shortage in the market to push up prices, promising swift action to address the issue.
Despite this assurance, the Maradagahamula Rice Traders' Association reports that high prices and limited availability of certain rice types have led to a 50% drop in rice sales.
In recent weeks, rice prices have exceeded the government’s control prices, with shortages especially noted for Nadu rice. To address this, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met with large-scale rice producers on October 24, instructing them to follow the control prices, to which they agreed. On November 6, the CAA provided the President with a detailed report on paddy and rice stock levels as per his directive.
However, both consumers and vendors say that certain rice varieties remain scarce in the market, with available stocks often sold at prices above the controlled rates.
