CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA 
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Rice sold to beer market push prices staggering
The rise in the price of rice had been blamed on the beer market, sources said yesterday.Rice traders said that the supply of bulk stock of rice to beer manufacturers had resulted in this state and that several prominent ruling party politicians were involved in the racket.
They also accused the rice mill owners in the Polonnaruwa District of holding a monopoly of trade that resulted in the prevailing crisis in the rice market.
Consumers and dealers expressed concern about the increasing price saying they were facing hardships due to the unprecedented rise in the price.
The retail price of all varieties of rice at the Dambulla market had yesterday shot up to Rs.90.00 a kilo. Most of the retail traders were not dealing in rice and others refrained from displaying the prices of rice.
The traders said rice purchased from rice mills for Rs.88.00 a kilo should be sold for Rs.90.00 minimum to have a marginal profit.
A small scale rice mill owner N.A.L.Gunasiri said he was compelled to close the rice mill for want of paddy.
He said prominent politicians purchased paddy for unrealistic prices to manufacture beer and it had been going on unchecked despite the hardship faced by the consumers.
He said he sold his lorry for want of an income to maintain it and that he now earned a pittance by selling chaff to buy rice for his family.
Meanwhile, a senior official of the Consumer Affairs Authority said they had suspended raids in view of the prevailing crisis in the rice market that prevented the retail traders from selling rice for the controlled price.
Meanwhile, the price of a plate of rice at hotels had also been increased by Rs.10.00 to cover the losses.
A woman from Sigiriya, W.Somawathie who depends on the Samurdhi allowance said she received only Rs.500 and that she purchased four kilos of rice and kept the balance to pay the bus fare. (Kanchana Kumara Ariyadasa)
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