In addressing issues pertaining to the availability and affordability of rice, the Government should prioritise establishing its authoritative power to manage the rice market instead of making plans to import rice, farmers groups observed yesterday (24).

Addressing a press briefing, the National Agrarian Unity organisation's President Anuradha Tennakoon further cautioned that there is a high likelihood of rice prices increasing towards the Sinhala-Tamil New Year. He opined that in a context where private rice millers purchased paddy at high prices in the last farming season and the cost of converting paddy into rice will therefore inevitably increase, the former, he claimed, can demand that the controlled rice prices be increased. He added that this almost certain challenge raises a need for the Government to manage the market through more farmer- and consumer-friendly decisions. “The cost of production of rice will be calculated based on the prices at which paddy was purchased,” Tennakoon said, adding that large-scale rice millers are powerful enough to demand a hike in controlled rice prices given the fact that they have also purchased more paddy than State-owned institutions.

With regard to the importation of rice, he claimed that irregularities had occurred during the previous Government’s tenure and that such could still be happening on the part of public officials. He added that the Government should not resort to the importation of rice or other goods in response to goods-related issues, as it would in the long run exacerbate these issues.

The Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperatives Development, and Agriculture Ministries were not reachable yesterday to discuss any steps being considered regarding these concerns.