‘CPA to be amended to prosecute rice hoarders’

Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera stated that the shortage of rice, which some rice mill owners are trying to artificially create while there is sufficient stock of rice in the country, is a ploy used to raise the price of rice during this festive season.

Under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), the officers of the Consumer Affairs Authority have the power to inspect and prosecute only persons and institutions who sell at higher prices.

They have not been empowered to prosecute persons hiding rice or other foodstuffs or to inspect such places.

For this reason, Minister Amaraweera said that it was discussed at a meeting of the Cabinet Ministers, to amend the Consumer Protection Act to file lawsuits against rice hoarders.

The necessary amendments of this Act will be submitted to the Cabinet next month.

The Agriculture Minister also mentioned about the statement made by former Minister Roshan Ranasinghe when he met the Mihintale Nayaka Thera that the Agriculture Minister has agreed to import rice.

Minister Amaraweera said, “Currently there is a shortage of keeri samba rice in the country. This shortage of rice is also created by large-scale rice mill owners and small-scale rice mill owners. However, since there is a high demand for keeri samba during this festive season, it was proposed to import 300,000 metric tons of rice, but as the Minister of Agriculture, I proposed to reduce the amount to 50,000 metric tons and it was approved by the Cabinet.”

Also, due to the shortage of rice in 2022, 800,000 metric tons were imported into Sri Lanka, but from January 2023 to the second week of this December, not a grain of rice was imported from abroad so far, the Minister said.

“We have been consuming our country’s rice all this year. Our farmers have saved the government more than US$ 300 million spent on rice imports this year. Therefore, the people of the country should be grateful to our farmers,” the Minister added.

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