Sri Lanka's Cabinet has greenlit a plan to process 30,000 metric tonnes of paddy held by the Paddy Marketing Board into rice and distribute it through retail channels to boost market supply.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to convert 30,000 metric tonnes of paddy into rice and make it available through retail outlets, following a recommendation from the Food Policy and Security Committee on July 22. The initiative aims to support the government's paddy purchasing programme while simultaneously increasing rice availability in the market.
Under the scheme, Lanka Sathosa will call for interest from registered rice millers to process the paddy stockpile. The processed rice will be packaged in multiple sizes—5kg, 10kg, 25kg and 50kg—to cater to varying consumer needs. Distribution will take place through Lanka Sathosa outlets, cooperative centres and private traders across the country.
The Cabinet received a joint proposal from the Ministers of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation and Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development. A dedicated Price Committee, consisting of representatives from the Paddy Marketing Board, Lanka Sathosa, the National Institute of Post Harvest Management and the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research and Training Institute, will be responsible for establishing the conversion ratio and determining appropriate retail prices for the rice.
