January 21, Colombo (LNW): The government is actively engaged in cultivating the necessary quantity of rice domestically, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera asserted.
Consequently there is no imperative for rice imports from foreign countries, he noted.
The Minister has instructed the pertinent authorities to focus on generating a surplus of rice within the country, facilitating the prospect of exporting rice to international markets.
In the year 2022, one-third of the country’s rice demand was met through imports, Amaraweera went on, adding that currently the production of rice within the country is deemed sufficient to fulfill domestic requirements, eliminating the need for external procurement.
