A cabinet paper recommending to maintain a guaranteed price of Rs. 50 per kilo of paddy has been submitted to cabinet, Minister Gamini Jayawickrema Perera said.
Minister Perera added the government will also take steps to prevent the increase of price of rice in the market.
Earlier, a possible hike in rice price has been predicted since last year and the former Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade had plans to import 50,000 metric tons of rice as well.
The consumer is currently buying rice at the market price of Rs. 80-90 per kilo (Red rice). This has resulted after the authorities not being able to complete using its guaranteed price for paddy.
However, Parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa in a recent statement said though the Government has proposed a guaranteed price of Rs. 50 kg for paddy, it will be difficult to secure that price with the low prices of wheat flour and bread.
