Health and Indigenous Medicine Ministry will buy 12,000 metric tonnes of maize to produce Thriposha.
Health and Indigenous Medicine Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratna had initiated action in this regard since Sena caterpillar has been destroying maize cultivations in the country.
Minister Dr. Senaratna said he had got the Cabinet approval to award a contract to purchase 12,000 metric tonnes of maize to the KST Evergreen for Rs. 670 .8 million.
The Health Ministry spends around Rs.1,500 million per year on Thriposha production. Thriposha prevents malnutrition in children and mothers. The Ministry provides two 750g packets of Thriposha for free to about one million pregnant mothers including breast feeding mothers, infants over six months, children and hospitalised patients.
Senaratna said he will not let these beneficiaries get affected by a Thriposha shortage.