Rice similar to Keeri Samba to be imported

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka will be importing a stock of rice similar to the local Keeri Samba to meet the domestic rice requirement during the upcoming holiday, and festive season.

State Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security Nalin Fernando expressed this decision while speaking at the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Trade, Commerce and Food Security in Parliament last week.

The Minister stated that the main and large-scale paddy mill owners of the country have taken measures to alleviate the situation where a shortage of Keeri Samba and samba rice has been artificially created by hiding the stocks without releasing them to the market, said a post on the Facebook page of the Sri Lanka Parliament.

Accordingly, the Minister also stated that a system will be designed to empower the business fraternity by focusing on the issues faced by the small and medium scale paddy mill owners.