COLOMBO, Apr 3, 2008 (Xinhua via COMTEX)
- The Sri Lanka government said Thursday that it has immediate plans to import rice from India, Pakistan and Myanmar to prevent shortage of rice in the local market.
Bandula Gunawardena, the minister of Trade and Consumer Affairs told reporters that he would leave for Myanmar on Friday to negotiate the import of 5,000 tons of rice.
Government officials said Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse had personally intervened to speak to the Indian authorities to allow the export of rice to Sri Lanka.
The Indian government has recently banned its exporters from selling rice other than the Basmati variety to export markets.
Fearing a rice shortage during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year which falls on April 13 and 14, the government now allows duty free imports of rice.
The recent monsoon rains destroyed the rice crop in the eastern and southern parts of the island. Some 15,000 hectares were affected by rains and floods.