Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera to promote SL’s red rice as Asia Pacific’s staple food

Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries, Mahinda Amaraweera, as Chairman of the 37th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference yesterday (21) presented a proposal, that the Sri Lanka red rice produced only in Sri Lanka, be designated the only rice variety suitable for consumption, not only in the Asia-Pacific region, but also in all rice-eating countries.

The programme on the last day of this conference was held under the theme of One Country, One priority crop.

Red rice, which was limited to the Southern Province of Sri Lanka, is now cultivated islandwide. Also, red rice has become the most commonly consumed variety of rice by many people. This variety of rice is not grown in any other country except Sri Lanka. The Minister also said that the Health sectors has confirmed that the Sri Lanka red rice is the only rice variety in the world that is rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, to prevent many non-communicable diseases such as diabetes.

Pointing out the ease with which red rice can be cultivated and the tendency to quickly become addicted to consumption, the Minister said that if the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization approves, Sri Lanka is ready to take the necessary steps as the only country in the world that grows red rice.

To date, no rice growing country in the world has produced a type of rice with a high nutritional level like our red rice, the Minister expressed.

The post Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera to promote SL’s red rice as Asia Pacific’s staple food appeared first on DailyNews.