Immediate Import of 200,000 MT Rice to Meet Shortfall in Market – Rishad

Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen  said, that a  four man team of Lankan officials is  flying  tonight (7) to Pakistan to pick rice varieties for the domestic rice market. On July 12, the team will proceed  to Myanmar from Islamabad to test Burmese rice varieties . Their mission  is to  identify  the countries from which 200,000 MT of rice to be imported  immediately  to meet the short fall  created by Yala season’s failure and the floods.

For this purpose we have picked Myanmar, Pakistan and India, said Rishad . The team, after checking both Pakistani and Myanmar markets, will decide whether to choose Pakistan or Myanmar (or both) to purchase the 100,000 MT rice. Whether it is finally supplied by one or both countries, the purchase shall be at Government to Government levels. More than 50% of this 100,000 MT rice would be par-boiled (Nadu) variety with the rest in white raw,and samba.

Sri Lanka is also purchasing another 100,000 MT rice from India immediately from the Indian private sector.Tenders from Indian private suppliers are being received and the successful  Indian supplier is expected to be picked by 17 July.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka has also commenced Government to Government rice purchase talks with Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce this week. These talks are conducted to procure ‘stand-by’ buffer rice stocks  to meet   any future emergencies.A Sri Lankan team of officials is scheduled to fly to Bangkok next week to meet Thai officials and decide on varieties, possibly around 100,000 MT of rice,  which will include par-boiled (Nadu), white raw, and samba.