President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has mandated fixed wholesale and retail prices for rice to ensure affordability for consumers. Nadu rice must now be sold at a wholesale price of Rs. 225 per kilo and a retail price of Rs. 230 per kilo.
During a meeting at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday (December 7), attended by officials from the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development, along with rice traders, the President directed the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) to monitor the rice trade closely over the next ten days. He emphasized the need to enforce strict legal action against rice mill owners who fail to comply with the newly set prices.
The following price structure has been implemented:
- Nadu Rice: Wholesale Rs. 225, Retail Rs. 230
- White Rice: Wholesale Rs. 215, Retail Rs. 220
- Imported Nadu Rice: Retail Rs. 220
- Samba Rice: Wholesale Rs. 235, Retail Rs. 240
- Keeri Samba: Wholesale Rs. 255, Retail Rs. 260
The President criticized the frequent price fluctuations imposed by rice mill owners, stating that such practices undermine public access to affordable food. He highlighted the significant government investments in the Highways, Irrigation, and Agriculture sectors, as well as subsidies provided to farmers, including low-interest loans for traders to purchase paddy.
President Dissanayake urged traders to uphold their responsibility to the public and instructed the CAA to monitor daily rice production and distribution at mills to ensure compliance.
