A Gazette notification has been issued by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake permitting the import of alternative rice varieties to address the shortage of Samba and Kiri Samba rice in the local market.
On Tuesday (31 March), Cabinet Spokesman Nalinda Jayatissa announced that approval had been granted for each importer to import up to 1,040 metric tons of GR 11 rice, including Ponni Samba and Kiri/Paal Ponni varieties, as a temporary measure.
Per the Gazette notification, importers are allowed to bring in these rice stocks between April 1 and April 30, with clearance from Sri Lanka Customs required by May 31. They have also been exempted from obtaining import control licenses for this purpose.
The move comes as the Consumer Affairs Authority, citing updated data from the Department of Agriculture, warned that total production of Samba and Kiri Samba during the 2025/26 Maha season would not be sufficient to meet demand, and that a severe shortage could emerge by May 2026.
The Food Policy and Security Committee had also highlighted the need to stabilize prices and meet consumer demand by importing substitute varieties. (Newswire)
