Sathosa received cabinet approval to import 50,000 metric tons of rice to cover expected rice shortages in the near future.
The Yala season rice harvest this year had fallen by 50 percent as a result of the drought and this has led to a possible shortage of rice in the market until December of this year.
Of the total amount needed, 100,000 metric tons have already been imported from India and a committee is to be appointed under the leadership of the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance to make arrangements to import the remaining 400,000 metric tons.
The above was proposed through a joint proposal by Minister of Industry and Commerce, Rishard Bathuideen, Minister of Finance and Mass Media, Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Mahinda Amaraweera and Minister of International Trade and Development Strategies, Malik Samarawickrama.