The Ministry of Industry and Commerce announced yesterday that the first batch of low priced rice out of the huge 100,000 MT Indian rice tranche has been offloaded and is now moving within Sri Lankan retail market, ending any supply fears.

According to the press release issued by the ministry during the weekend, a total of 20,000 MT tranche of parboiled ‘nadu’ rice sent by an Indian supplier to the Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) of Sri Lanka have been offloaded at Port of Colombo and been distributed to CWE (Sathosa) warehouses.

The value of the received 20, 000 MT rice stock is USD 8.9 Mn (SL Rs 1.36 Bn). This rice stock is now being re-distributed from CWE warehouses to Lanka Sathosa outlets to be sold at only Rs 74 per kilo. Any consumer purchasing more than 25 kilos of this rice from Lanka Sathosa can buy them even lower-only Rs 73 per kilo.

Meanwhile, the open international tender call for 200,000 MT rice in three varieties, also successfully closed in Colombo last week.