Sri Lanka to import rice to address rice shortage
Sri Lanka will import 200,000 metric tons of rice immediately from India, Pakistan and Myanmar to address the rice shortfall in its domestic market, a statement from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce said on Friday.
Due to heavy floods this year, Sri Lanka is facing a severe rice shortage. Sri Lanka will purchase 100,000 metric tons of rice from India immediately, Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen said, adding the rice will be purchased from private Indian importers.
The other 100,000 metric tons of rice will come from Pakistan and Myanmar. A four-member team from Sri Lanka will leave for Pakistan and Myanmar on Friday evening to pick rice varieties for the Sri Lankan market, and the purchase with Pakistan and Myanmar will be at government to government levels, Bathiudeen said.
Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has also commenced government level talks on the possibility of purchasing rice from Thailand, Bathiudeen added.
(Xinhua)
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100 thousand metric tonnes of rice is a lot of rice the public has a right to know as to how much it is going to cost and who is responsible for its import.
What Sri Lankensi want is “punnakku” nor rice.
Of course, it is a trmendous quantity of rice.
The Minister is Hon Rishad Bathiudeen of Wilpattu colonisation fame.
I am sure close to 50% of this rice will be plastic and the komis to Rihad will will also be plastic but US $’s.