Officials Confident in 2025 Harvest Targets Despite Maha Shortfall
The Sri Lankan Government remains confident that rice prices will remain stable this year, but has pledged to import rice immediately if any unusual price hikes or shortages occur, according to Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security, R.M. Jayawardena.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, Jayawardena explained that while the Maha season’s harvest has fallen slightly short of expectations, plans are in place to secure adequate supplies through the upcoming Yala harvest. “The Department of Agriculture had projected 2.9 million metric tonnes (MT) of paddy for the Maha season, but it now looks like we’ll receive around 2.5 million MT,” he stated.
Despite the shortfall, Jayawardena pointed out that more land has been cultivated for the Yala season than originally anticipated, thanks to favourable weather conditions. “If everything proceeds smoothly, we expect to harvest 2.2 million MT during Yala,” he added.
Sri Lanka’s annual rice needs stand at approximately 3.5 to 3.6 million MT for human consumption, with an additional 450,000 MT needed for animal feed and around 150,000 to 200,000 MT for other purposes. “We are confident the country can meet its paddy requirement for the year,” Jayawardena assured.
However, he also warned of potential market manipulations by some rice mill owners and traders. “We are aware that certain producers may engage in organised efforts to withhold rice from the market to create artificial shortages and drive up prices,” he said. “The Government is closely monitoring the situation and will take necessary actions against such practices.”
Jayawardena emphasized that there is currently no justification for a price increase and reiterated that the Government is ready to intervene with rice imports if the situation demands.
Historically, Sri Lanka’s rice market has been vulnerable to price volatility caused by stockpiling and delayed market releases by some players seeking to boost profits. Authorities now aim to counter these tactics proactively to ensure price stability and food security for consumers.