Sri Lanka President emphasizes no changes to controlled rice price

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that there are no plans to change the controlled price of rice.

He also highlighted a long-term plan to implement an organized agricultural system, ensuring greater benefits for farmers.

President Dissanayake expressed these views during a discussion held today (October 22) at the Presidential Secretariat with rice traders and officials from the Department of Agriculture.

The discussion focused on the current prices of consumer goods, emphasizing the need to maintain control over rice prices, as rice is a staple food for the people.

The president informed the rice traders that it would be unfair to change the price of rice after purchasing paddy from farmers under the controlled price system.

He stressed the importance of establishing a proper mechanism to buy paddy from farmers at a fair price and to provide rice to consumers at a reasonable price.

President Dissanayake also noted that rice prices have artificially increased and that instability in prices has arisen due to the lack of consistent control over prices in the long term.

Attention was also drawn to the role of middlemen stockpilers, and the president instructed agriculture officials to register these individuals.

The conversation further highlighted the need to reduce input costs to alleviate the financial difficulties faced by small and medium-scale rice mill owners.

Dudley Sirisena, Nipuna Gamlath, Mithrapala Lankeshwara, Jayasiri Gunathilaka, Menaka Gamlath, and other businessmen representing the Rice Mill Owners’ Association, along with several officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, were also present at the meeting.