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Rice producers request MRP for imported rice

14 Jun 2022

BY Buddhika Samaraweera The United Rice Producers’ Association (URPA) has emphasised that the Government should take steps to set a maximum retail price (MRP) not only for local rice, but also for imported rice. Speaking to The Morning yesterday (13), URPA President Kusumitha M. Perera said: “On several occasions, the Government has imposed MRPs on locally produced rice, but no such MRPs have been imposed on imported rice. Due to this, if they want, the traders can sell locally produced rice as imported rice at the prices that they like. It is a serious injustice to the consumer.” He also said that neither the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) nor any other body could distinguish between types of rice as to whether they have been produced locally or imported. Therefore, he said, the Government should take immediate action to impose a MRP on imported rice varieties in the same way as such was imposed on locally produced rice. A Gazette Extraordinary was issued by CAA Chairman Maj. Gen. (Rtd.) Shantha Dissanayake, stipulating a MRP for Local White Kekulu and Local Red Kekulu rice, effective from 10 June. As per the said Gazette Notification, the new MRP on a kilo of Local White Kekulu/Local Red Kekulu rice stands at Rs. 210. However, as of yesterday, a kilo of Local White Kekulu and Local Red Kekulu rice was being sold for between Rs. 290-300 in some shops in areas such as Colombo and Ratnapura. On 2 May 2022, the CAA issued a Gazette Extraordinary through which MRPs were set for Local White Nadu and Local Red Nadu rice, White and Red Samba rice, and Keeri Samba. According to it, a kilo of Local White Nadu and Local Red Nadu is priced at Rs. 220, a kilo of White/Red Samba is at Rs. 230 and a kilo of Keeri Samba is at Rs. 260.  


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