Namal Karunaratne responds to Dudley; says will not allow anyone to play with country’s rice supply

3 February 2025 09:08 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 30 Bookmark

A A A

Colombo, Feb 03 (Daily Mirror) - Responding to large-scale rice supplier Dudley Sirisena's recent statement on rice supplies, Deputy Minister of Agriculture Namal Karunaratne said the government will not allow anyone to play with the rice supply in the country and assured to resolve the rice shortage.

He told the media that the government will announce the minimum guaranteed price for paddy in the next few days.

Responding to a question about Sirisena's claim not to play with him, the Deputy Minister said no one is prepared to play with him and stressed that the government will not allow anyone to play with the rice supply in the country.

He said the government has allocated Rs. 5,000 million for the purchase of paddy and added that the government is planning to issue rice to the market below the controlled price during rice shortages in the future.

Comments - 30

Siri Monday, 03 February 2025 09:17 PM

admit defeat. DS is too smart for you redheads

32 39

mina Tuesday, 04 February 2025 04:08 AM

Admit defeat for what, Sirisena should be ashamed to violate all the regulation and building hotel through his political connection. In every election he he gave millions of money to corrupt politicians stating with his brother My 3 , once they come to power Dudly was the man who decided the price of rice in the country. This time He couldn't play with NPP as they dont have any connection with him. This will be Dudleys last forte of the battle controlling the price of rice in the country.

1 12

Government To Set Up Mega Storage Facilities Tuesday, 04 February 2025 06:34 AM

Government should either buy over smaller mills or create a few mega storage facilities in major towns. This will ensure essentials are kept in stock and prices can be regulated accordingly. Those private businesses will either follow the government price mechanism and stay afloat or will close down in no time! Few countries are practicing this formula and essentials are priced reasonably too

0 11

Perera Tuesday, 04 February 2025 07:33 AM

Why admit defeat? Those who thought they were victorious all this while and bragged about it were humiliatingly defeated.

2 5

Mohamed Adham Tuesday, 04 February 2025 09:13 AM

Yup, he will see SMART when the government takes a sharp look on his illegally built Hotels and other stuff.

0 6

Rice mafia Monday, 03 February 2025 09:34 PM

There is a politics behind this rice crisis: some play a cheap politics behind this crisis: We all know Lankans eat rice twice a day some time three times in some people in North and East and some mill owners try to fool this NPP government with their crafty trick on this matter : it is an open secret:it is well known that some mill owners have got a monopoly over rice distribution in the country and they have been getting what they want from previous government but they can’t joly ride this government on this: so they do all dirty tricks to damage the name of the government: it was a rice crisis in 1970s led the late Sri ma government to face a terrible defeat: some opposition parties think they can repeat that historic moment once again with the rice crisis and yet NPP government is smart enough and clever enough to deal this crisis: I feel that God sent NPP this difficult time to protect Sri Lanka from corrupt politics : still people have strong faith and confidence in the NPP : so

30 32

WHAT ABOUT THE DONATIONS THE COUNTRY GOT IN 2022 THAT IS NOT FOUND TO BE UNFIT FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION?. Monday, 03 February 2025 10:30 PM

ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, NPP WILL CONTINUE TO GO AFTER THE RICE MAFIA AND GIVE JUSTICE TO THE PEOPLE. THE PEOPLES ONLY HOPE IS ANURA/NPP, IF THEY DO NOT SAVE THE COUNTRY AND US ALL NO ONE REPEAT NO GOVT CAN.

5 3

SLEx Monday, 03 February 2025 10:15 PM

Why are you expecting rice shortages in the future? Isn't the goal to not have any shortages and have sufficient buffer stocks to ensure steady supply for reasonable prices? The government issuing rice below the controlled prices is only going to make the government go further in debt since someone has to pay to cover production costs.

4 31

Arun Monday, 03 February 2025 11:40 PM

It’s like a foolish useless master trying to teach a brilliant student.?

0 1

Be Fair Monday, 03 February 2025 11:46 PM

I'm just disappointed with the Trade Unionists who have become Ministers not knowing the ground situation. Just find a solution, challenging the issue is not the solution

0 1

Siva Tuesday, 04 February 2025 12:03 AM

World is changing, we accept that and act or we fall victim to these changes. Srilankan's should come out of their comfort zone and work towards being self sufficent on food.

0 1

Pusa Tuesday, 04 February 2025 12:32 AM

Where is the Little Ugly Man AKD when these kids are "playing" with rice ?

0 3

Pusa Tuesday, 04 February 2025 12:32 AM

Where is the Little Ugly Man AKD when these kids are "playing" with rice ?

2 1

Judge Tuesday, 04 February 2025 01:53 AM

SLankans are obsessed with eating truckload of rice three times a day. It is so unhealthy and a main source of diabetes. They argue day and day out as if it is a precious meal that needs to be protected at any cost. It is laughable that it has become a political issue over so many years. Keep doing it and die younger.

0 4

Dinruta Tuesday, 04 February 2025 06:02 AM

Well that’s good enough for just 40 tons of paddy. We are expecting a harvest of 200 or 300 tons . Aren’t we ?

0 2

Dr. Dee esquire Tuesday, 04 February 2025 06:56 AM

If I was Dudley, I would close shop and ask the government to handle it on its own.

0 4

Abd Tuesday, 04 February 2025 07:01 AM

People of the country do not have quality rice , which is their staple food for affordable price, in last meeting of president with mill owners, sold out consumers to rice mafia by increasing the selling price, to make businessmen happy, current situation also no difference, we are heading to same situation, where Karunaratne has no answer, but unfortunate consumers seem going to face same fate , kg of rice might go above Rs 300

0 0

A Supporter of NPP Tuesday, 04 February 2025 08:18 AM

Dear Hon Namal Karunarathne. Do not announce any promises on which you do not have any control. Rice Mill Mafia is already controlling rice supply. You and your NPP Government are helpless. Just admit defeat and shut up your mouth.

1 6

A Supporter of NPP Tuesday, 04 February 2025 08:18 AM

Dear Hon Namal Karunarathne. Do not announce any promises on which you do not have any control. Rice Mill Mafia is already controlling rice supply. You and your NPP Government are helpless. Just admit defeat and shut up your mouth.

1 2

Mark Anandappa Tuesday, 04 February 2025 08:57 AM

Joker . His leader acted like a Rabiit with the RiceMill owners recently. All this gallery should stop to cover their failures so far.

0 7

Guppi Tuesday, 04 February 2025 09:11 AM

No wonder Mattala Airport was used to store rice, an idiotic move, since no government has built adequate storage facilities or planned a proper mechanism to support the paddy industry. Instead, they rely on private vendors to purchase rice, creating opportunities for middlemen. As a result, both farmers and the public suffer

0 0

Ram P Tuesday, 04 February 2025 09:25 AM

The farmers will give the paddy to higher offers made by private millers that is headed by Dudley. What must happen is government must issue a Gazette notice on the wholesale and retail prices, if the big millers are not releasing the rice from their storage, seize their rice sell the rice and pay the millers the wholesale price after the rice is sold

0 1

Yohan Tuesday, 04 February 2025 09:31 AM

Once again the joker back in action from mouth. Please resign and go home.

1 2

Talk Talk no Walk Walk Tuesday, 04 February 2025 11:02 AM

Watch your blabber. Anura has already told you guys. H'ever Anura has created a word salad in all spheres, though he is trying to put a fence around his mps' mouths.

0 6

Jagath Leanage Tuesday, 04 February 2025 11:23 AM

This Dudley thinks he is the owner of Paddy in our country. During yahapalanaya, he controlled everything with regards to rice.

0 2

Dr Tissa Fernando Tuesday, 04 February 2025 06:47 PM

But there was no shortage and the prices were cheaper than now. Thesevred brothers only know how to conduct protests, strikes and other economic disruptions.

0 0

NV Jen Tuesday, 04 February 2025 11:44 AM

If Dudley has the audacity to say to not to play with him, maybe he has this government also in his pockets. The delay in declaring the minimum purchase price for paddy, confirms this!

0 2

UAli Tuesday, 04 February 2025 01:10 PM

During this 2025 year also, not only people but government also at the mercy of mill owners ,

0 0

Mohamed Nihar Tuesday, 04 February 2025 01:55 PM

Sri Lakan staple food is rice and other sources of food are hard to come by or expensive to sustain for commoner. This is why from ancient we have been having rice. So there is no alternative unless you are born with at least a steel spoon. The problem lies with the government inability to summon adequate funds to collectively purchase the paddy/rice and then to store them in an area that would be easy for logistics etc., We have seen an heard how the successive govenrment had tried to handle this matter and failed miserably. AKD need to sort our the funds first and then the storage 2nd and then distribution. Without these he's just beating around the bush allowing DS to build up on his stance.

0 0

Rds Tuesday, 04 February 2025 05:18 PM

1. Banks should be instructed stop giving loans to DS and other large scale Millers to purchase paddy. 2. Government should purchase paddy directly from the farmers 3. Mill owners can purchase the Paddy ftom the government on reasonable credit basis 4. Government for a cooerative of mill owners who will mill the paddy and hand it back to food department. 5. Wholesalers and super markets to register at the food department and obtain their stocks.

0 0

222

Add comment
Comments will be edited (grammar, spelling and slang) and authorized at the discretion of Daily Mirror online. The website also has the right not to publish selected comments.