Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said that Sri Lanka would not face a rice shortage before the next Maha cultivating season.

He said the Paddy Marketing Board currently has close to 140,000 metric tonnes of red and white rice in storage and that arrangements had been made to import sufficient substitute rice stocks.

The Minister also said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East had created challenges for the country's energy sector, but stressed that the Government would work to protect the economy by strengthening exports and tourism earnings.

He added that steps were already underway to import fertiliser for the next Maha season and that the fertiliser subsidy had been increased to Rs 30,000.

Samarasinghe further said that the Government would continue to take policy decisions aimed at protecting both farmers and consumers