Certified Rice Prices Will be Announced Soon: President

COLOMBO (News 1st): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake says that a total of Rs. 5 billion has been allocated for the government to purchase paddy. 

Addressing a public meeting in Kekirawa, the President assured that a certified price for paddy will be announced soon. 

President Dissanayake acknowledged that there is a shortage of coconuts in the country, and noted that about 3 billion coconuts were harvested annually, prior to this shortage. 

He noted that however, only 2,560 million or 2.56 billion coconuts had been produced last year. 

The President said that to tackle this shortage, the government has planned to cultivate coconut in 40,000 acres in the Northern province. 

He added that plans are in place to provide farmers with coconut plants, and all other necessary facilities including fertilizer, for this purpose. 

Speaking about the prevelant rice crisis in the country, President Dissanayake claimed that the main reason for this is the lack of data on the amount of rice produced and consumed in the country. 

He went on to note that the public has been informed that anyone who gathers stocks of rice or runs a rice mill, should be registered under the government, and that they should report to the government the exact amount of rice stocks they possess, on a weekly basis. 

President Dissanayake also said that a total of Rs. 5 billion has been allocated for the government to purchase paddy. 

He added that the private sector will be granted space in goverment warehouses, to store stocks of rice purchased by them. 

The President said that those stocks of rice will be distributed across the country through Lanka Sathosa branches. 

He added that the government will not let another rice crisis occur in the country, and that immediate steps will be taken to solve the existent issues.