By shakya

Sri Lanka spent US$90.3 million on rice imports during the first five months of 2026, from January to May, according to reports.

It is also stated that US$49 million was spent on rice imports in May alone.

Meanwhile, the Paddy Marketing Board purchased 162,257 metric tonnes of paddy from farmers in 2025 at a cost of Rs. 19,633 million.

The report further notes that the Board incurred expenditure of Rs. 6.2 billion in 2025 to maintain a strategic paddy reserve of 49,612 metric tonnes.

In addition, Rs. 37 billion was spent last year on the fertiliser subsidy programme.

The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, in its latest report on the budget position, states that the Government spent Rs. 142 billion on the agricultural sector in 2025, representing a 17 per cent increase compared with 2024.

Published Date: July 5, 2026