The annual price hike on various types of paddy during November and December is a customary occurence due to the forthcoming festive season, said officials of the Paddy Marketing Board (PMB) following escalating concerns surrounding the Keeri Samba rice shortage and the surge in the market price.
The Regional Manager of the Paddy Marketing Board’s Anuradhapura Regional Office, T. M. N. Tennakoon told the Sunday Observer in response to our inquiry about the scarcity of Keeri Samba rice and the exorbitant rates at which it is being sold by retailers, surpassing the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) mandated by the Government.
The Government, through the Consumer Affairs Authority, recently published a Gazette notification specifying the Maximum Retail Prices (MRP) for different types of rice.
According to this notification, the price a kilo of Nadu rice is set at Rs. 220, Samba at Rs. 230, and Keeri Samba at Rs. 260.
The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) said that many retailers have been found to be selling Keeri Samba at Rs. 300-380, violating the Government’s price regulations.
Reports revealed that rice mill owners have also been involved in this price irregularity. CAA investigators have taken stringent action, with multiple raids and arrests against the errant retailers.
CAA sources who wished to remain anonymous said that they conduct frequent raids, imposing fines ranging from Rs. 100,000 – Rs. 500,000 on those flouting pricing regulations.
The challenging task of apprehending mill owners involved in this malpractice has been noted. These mill owners issue receipts at the MRP while receiving the difference in cash, making it harder to detect their unlawful activities. The CAA official added that the influential nature of these mill owners further complicates the situation. There are only a handful of wholesale merchants in Pettah selling Keeri Samba. Paddy Marketing Board Regional Manager Tennakoon said that this shortage in the market can be attributed to a lower harvest of Keeri Samba in the Yala season.
Keeri Samba yields are more abundant during the Maha season from September to March. As the issue of Keeri Samba rice shortage and inflated prices continues to draw attention, consumers and authorities are left grappling with a multifaceted challenge that involves various stakeholders, including mill owners and retailers.
