Sri Lanka to import 100,000 tons of rice from Myanmar

COLOMBO: FEB. 7 – Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Trade said on Monday it has decided to import 100,000 tons of white rice from Myanmar to control the rising price of rice in local markets.

The ministry said in a statement it planned to import the rice at 445 U.S. dollars per ton through the Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation.

It plans to import 20,000 tons of rice at a time and release it to the market gradually.

The Ministry of Trade said it has requested the Central Bank to issue the required foreign exchange for the import of the rice.

Imports of rice in Sri Lanka are usually limited to small quantities, especially rice such as Basmati, officials said.

-Xinhua