By Mangala Pavithrani

Colombo, October 6 (Daily Mirror) – Chairman of the National Farmers’ Union, Anuradha Tennakoon alleged that rice producers deliberately create artificial shortages every year during the festive season, and criticised the government for failing to address the issue.

Speaking to the Daily Mirror, Tennakoon said, “The government is very silent in front of Dudley. In this rice crisis, Dudley is doing the government’s laundry. Wasantha Samarasinghe has only one solution for this: rice imports. Does the government need a Trade Minister and an Agriculture Minister for that? Give all of that to Dudley.”

He highlighted the disparity between prices paid to farmers and consumer prices, stating that dried paddy was purchased at Rs. 110-112 per kilo, while raw paddy was bought at Rs. 80-90. 

“Rice produced from such low-priced paddy is being sold to consumers at a much higher price,” Tennakoon alleged.

He warned that this practice harms both farmers and consumers, while boosting profits for rice producers. Tennakoon urged the government to enforce its authority to regulate rice market prices as per the gazette.

Published Date: October 6, 2025