Lanka Sathosa further reduced the price of imported Ponni samba from Rs.84 to Rs.80 per kilo with effect from midnight yesterday in order to offer relief to consumers hit by high rice prices.
Lanka Sathosa Chairman Dr.T.N.K.B.Tennekoon said that consumers can purchase Ponni samba at the reduced price from 370 Lanka Sathosa outlets across the country.
Addressing a media briefing in Colombo yesterday, he said paddy production in the country has fallen by 50 percent due to the recent drought, leading to the high rice prices. That is why,the Cost of Living Cabinet Sub Committee, headed by President Maithripala Sirisena, made a decision to bring down the prices of several rice varieties with effect from last month.
Tennekoon said as per the new retail prices, a kilogramme of ‘White Nadu’ is Rs.77, ‘White Kekulu’ Rs.64,‘Ponni Samba’ Rs.84,and an imported broken rice variety is Rs.60, while the wholesale price of a kilo of White Nadu is Rs.73 and White Kekulu Rs.63.
He further said that there has been a very slight pickup in sales growth in the last month with the reduction of rice prices.
Dr.Tennakoon said the Cost of Living Cabinet Sub Committee meeting met the day before yesterday and decided to further reduce the prices of samba rice from Rs.84 to Rs.80 per kilo.
Lanka Sathosa will also formulate a programme to enable consumers at village level to buy rice at the same prices available at Lanka Sathosa outlets, from their retail shops. Therefore,the Regional Managers of 370 Lanka Sathosa outlets in the country will meet village level trade associations representatives to offer rice stocks at Lanka Sathosa prices.
When we reduce the prices, the other super market chains also follow suit,” he said.
He said that Sathosa also expects to reduce the prices of several other essential items,such as, sprats, canned fish, potatoes and big onions in a bid to bring down the cost of living.
The Lanka Sathosa Chairman added that the Cabinet has approved the importation of rice through Sathosa which would result in rice being sold for a much lesser price in the future.
Lanka Sathosa will import 500,000 metric tones of rice and around 1,00,000 metric tones of Nadu rice has already been brought to the country, while another stock of 1,00,00 metric tones of rice will arrive next month.
In order to provide coconut at low prices to consumers, islandwide ‘Kapruka’ societies have been informed to supply coconuts directly to Sathosa outlets.
"There is a decrease in coconut production due to the drought especially in the Kurunegala district. "We have received only around 75,000 coconuts eventhough we have a daily requirement of 45,000 coconuts,”he added.