Former Deputy Leader of the United National Party and Member of Parliament Ravi Karunanayake has claimed that the country’s ongoing rice crisis remains unresolved because successive governments have consistently protected large-scale paddy mill owners.
Speaking to the media, Karunanayake emphasized that it is the duty of any responsible government to also support small-scale millers and encourage young entrepreneurs within the rice milling sector.
He criticized the government’s slogan “We will plant – we will build the country” as merely rhetorical, stating that no recent administration has effectively safeguarded farmers or reduced dependency on rice imports.
“What the government should be doing is protecting all mill owners—especially small-scale operators—and fostering a new generation of entrepreneurs to strengthen this vital industry,” the MP said.
