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Agriculture, Lands, Irrigation and Livestock Minister, K. D. Lalkantha said the Government will no longer permit the use of locally produced rice to make alcoholic beverages, and will instead allow rice imports specifically for that purpose.

Speaking to the media following a discussion at the Animal Production and Health Department in Gannoruwa, the Minister explained that a structured distribution system will be established through Sathosa warehouses to ensure that imported rice intended for alcohol production does not enter the local consumer market.

He noted that due to adverse weather conditions, the expected harvest from the recent Maha Season could not be achieved.

“We will not allow this situation to become a crisis for consumers. Farmers received good prices for their paddy, and their concerns were addressed. However, due to the lower yield, there may be challenges in the future, and therefore, we will import the required amount of rice under a regulated system from foreign countries,” the Minister said.

Rice and broken rice are used in certain quantities for liquor manufacturing. Discussions on this matter were held within the Food Safety Committee, after which the Agriculture Ministry and the Consumer Affairs Ministry jointly proposed legislation to prohibit the use of local rice for alcohol production. This proposal has been submitted to the Cabinet.

Minister Lalkantha added that since the liquor industry is economically significant, Cabinet approval has been granted to import the necessary rice under proper regulation. “There is no government decision to completely halt rice imports. We will not hesitate to import rice to maintain price stability. We are also mindful of whether importing rice will affect local paddy prices. Both the farming community and consumers must be protected. Therefore, we will import the required rice at the right time,” he said.

Responding to recent opposition claims, he accused them of attempting to spread misinformation during the Sinhala and Tamil New Year season, suggesting a rice shortage that never occurred. “Such fear-mongering may happen again, but our opposition is not mature enough to think nationally. I can firmly state that there will be no rice shortage in the country in the future,” he added.

Source : dailynews