Sri Lanka Customs announced the resumption of rice clearance today (December 26), following a brief halt. Additional Director General and Customs Media Spokesman, Sivali Arukgoda, confirmed that rice importers can now proceed with clearing their shipments starting this morning.
To mitigate the ongoing rice shortage, the government initially allowed private-sector importers to bring in rice between December 4 and 20, resulting in 67,000 metric tons being imported during this period.
Extended Import Deadline
In a bid to further stabilize the rice supply, the Cabinet extended the import deadline to January 10, 2025, with an official Gazette notification issued on December 24.
Government Efforts
Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Namal Karunaratne, revealed that the first government-imported rice shipment of 780 metric tons, facilitated through the Sri Lanka State Trading Corporation, arrived at the Colombo Port yesterday (December 25). The Deputy Minister assured that this stock would be swiftly distributed to the market to meet immediate demand.
These measures reflect the government’s commitment to addressing the rice shortage and ensuring the availability of this staple food for consumers across the country.
