Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-10-10

Import of Rice by the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE)

- The anticipated production of rice in the Yala Season of 2017 has been reduced by about 50%. As such, it has been decided to import 500,000 MT of rice through the CWE to meet the requirement of rice in the market up to the month of December 2017. Out of the above, 100,000 MT of rice have been ordered from India. Accordingly, the joint proposal made by Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, the Minister of Finance and Mass Media, Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen, the Minister of Industry and Commerce, Hon. Mahinda Amaraweera, the Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and Hon. Malik Samarawickrema, the Minister of Development Development Strategies and International Trade, to appoint a Special Committee presided over by the Secretary to the Treasury to take necessary action to import the balance requirement of 400,000MT of rice expeditiously, was approved by the Cabinet.