Government has instructed to limit the stock of paddy provided to large-scale rice mill owners when issuing state protected stocks of paddy to the market.

Chairman of the Paddy Marketing Board MB Dissanayake stated that the decision was arrived at to stabilize the small and medium scale rice mill owners.

Certain rice mill owners are attempting to create a paddy shortage by purchasing large stocks of state protected paddy, Chairman added.

Dudley Sirisena, owner of the Araliya rice mills, president of the All Island Mill Owners Association and brother of President Maithripala Srisena,earlier this week stated that the failure of Rural Economic Affairs Minister P.Harrison to release rice stocks held by the government to the market in a proper manner, has triggered a rise in rice prices.