Wednesday Apr 01, 2026
Wednesday Apr 01, 2026
Wednesday, 1 April 2026 00:04 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa
By Charumini de Silva
The Government has stepped up market intervention measures by purchasing over 61,000 tons of paddy from local farmers, whilst approving limited rice imports to prevent a potential shortage of premium rice varieties in the coming months.
Speaking at the post-Cabinet media briefing, Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa said a total of 61,449 tonnes of paddy had been procured at a cost of over Rs. 7.38 billion, as part of efforts to support farmers and stabilise domestic supply.
“The purchases included 17,690 tons of white Nadu and 43,836 tons of red Nadu, alongside Samba (white) 160,000 kilos, Samba (red) 756,000 kilos and Keeri Samba 6,776 kilos,” he added.
In parallel, the Cabinet of Ministers on Monday approved a controlled import window for selected rice varieties considered substitutes for Samba and Keeri Samba.
Under the decision, importers will be permitted to bring in up to 1,040 tons each of GR 11 rice, including Ponni Samba and Kiri/Pal Ponni between 1 and 30 April, with clearance required before 31 May 2026. Importers will also be exempted from obtaining import control licences for this period.
Dr. Jayatissa justified the decision as a precautionary measure in response to emerging risks from adverse weather conditions and supply chain disruptions linked to ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Key institutions, including the Department of Agriculture Sri Lanka and the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute, have warned that output of Samba and Keeri Samba during the 2025/26 Maha season is likely to fall short of demand, raising the prospect of tighter supplies from May.
It was noted that the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has also flagged the need to ensure adequate market supply to prevent price volatility, with the issue receiving attention at the Food Policy and Safety Committee.
The Cabinet Spokesman rejected claims of an overall rice shortage, clarifying that the issue is limited to specific varieties rather than staple rice availability.
He also assured that the country has sufficient fertiliser for the first two initial phases, whilst noting that an order has been placed which will likely be delivered within this month. “The State fertiliser company and 18 other private companies will distribute the urea needed for the paddy farmers with a bag priced between Rs. 9,900 and Rs. 10,200. TSP and MOP will be distributed via the Department of Agrarian Services countrywide,” he added.
The joint proposal to this effect was submitted by the Agriculture, Livestock, Lands and Irrigation Minister K.D. Lalkantha and the Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe.
