The Hon. D.V. Chanaka
Hon. D.V. Chanaka questioned the Minister’s handling of rice price controls, arguing that the Government’s claim about lacking paddy or rice stocks did not justify continued price increases and that coordination with the PMB and Sathosa was required. Citing Department of Census and Statistics weekly price data, he compared late 2023/early 2024 prices with late 2024/early 2025 prices and said Red Nadu, White Kekulu, and Red Kekulu had risen substantially since the current Government took office. He asked how prices could be controlled with only Rs. 5 billion allocated for paddy procurement and alleged that actual procurement covered only a very small share of national rice needs, while some varieties were already being sold above controlled prices.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Minister, I ask because price control is your job. When prices soared, your argument was that the Government had no paddy or rice stocks, hence prices rose. You should know the data. Yes, paddy purchasing is through the PMB, but to regulate retail prices through Sathosa you must coordinate. Please provide the data quickly—today is the last day for nominations; we cannot wait.
¶ 02 Further, after the Malimawa Government came to power—President Anura Kumara Dissanayake—whenever rice prices rose, you said, “these were the same last year.” The Department of Census and Statistics (DCS) website provides weekly rice prices and other commodity prices. I compiled a summary.
¶ 03 For 2023 Oct–Dec and 2024 Jan (previous government) vs 2024 Oct–Dec and 2025 Jan (current government), DCS data show: - Red Nadu average price: Oct 2023 Rs. 205; Nov Rs. 217; Dec Rs. 220; Jan 2024 Rs. 220. After you took office: Oct 2024 Rs. 230; Nov Rs. 240; Dec Rs. 243; Jan 2025 Rs. 275. - White Kekulu: earlier Rs. 202, 209, 211, 211; after: Oct 2024 Rs. 218; Nov Rs. 230; Dec Rs. 236; Jan 2025 Rs. 250. - Red Kekulu: earlier Rs. 190, 195, 200, 201; after: rising through Rs. 216, 226, 240, up to Rs. 280.
¶ 04 At your assumption of office (Sept), Nadu averaged Rs. 217; now Rs. 275. White Kekulu from Rs. 203 to Rs. 250. Red Kekulu from Rs. 189 to Rs. 280. You argued Government had no stocks; yet you only set aside Rs. 5 billion—enough for 4.5 days. With such limited coverage, how will you control prices? Our information indicates you have procured paddy for barely a quarter of a day’s rice requirement—sometimes not even a day’s worth. If sudden elections were called by June, would prices have spiked further?
¶ 05 Controlled retail for Keeri Samba is Rs. 260, but it is sold at Rs. 300. Kurulu Thuda (a red rice) in Padukka is at Rs. 280—Rs. 45 above controlled price. Keeri Samba sells Rs. 40 above controlled already. Prices are rising now.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Wednesday, 19 March 2025 ·No. 1748499233099643 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. D.V. Chanaka. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 19 March 2025. No. 1748499233099643. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/25228