CAA to call for rice details of 99 importers

Thursday, 1 June 2017 00:23 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A consensus was reached at the Cost of Living Committee meeting on 25 May that the CAA should take legal action against errant millers who hoard paddy stocks while also raiding sellers that sell imported rice which they claim to be locally produced.

Accordingly, Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen has instructed the CAA to report on the stock levels of millers as well as the details of the distribution of imported rice stocks in the local market. Minister Bathiudeen also informed the committee that to stabilise prices in the market, the CAA has increased raids and filed cases against almost 2,000 errant traders in 2017 while in May 2017 alone nearly 500 such raids were conducted.

In March 2017, the CAA wrote to 99 rice importers asking them to provide details of their imports and Minister Bathiudeen has instructed the CAA to take legal action against any importers who have failed to provide such details to date.

Minister Bathiudeen also instructed the CAA to inspect mills and warehouses to detect the mixing of any imported and local rice varieties and to look for sellers who sell such rice. The CAA was also instructed to raid sellers who sell given rice types above MRPs.

A sole trader found guilty by the magistrates’ courts is fined between Rs. 1,000-Rs. 10,000 or given a prison term not exceeding six months (or both) as per CAA Act 9 of 2003. If the offender is a private company then the fine is between Rs. 10,000-Rs. 100,000.