• Says current production exceeds annual demand
• Early Maha cultivation, water conservation measures planned

Sri Lanka currently has sufficient rice stocks, with paddy production already exceeding the country’s annual requirements, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Namal Karunaratne claims. 

This, despite growing concerns over the potential impact of El Niño-related weather conditions on cultivation.

“We generally require around 2.4 million MT of rice annually. A production that exceeds that requirement is already available in the country,” Karunaratne told The Sunday Morning.

Addressing measures to safeguard rice security amid rising temperatures and declining reservoir water levels, he said that the Government had developed several contingency plans to minimise any impact on paddy cultivation.

“With the El Niño condition, temperatures have increased and water levels in reservoirs are declining rapidly. We have created awareness among the public and farmers to use water sparingly. 

“We have also decided to begin the Maha cultivation season about two weeks earlier than usual. In addition, we plan to cultivate mung beans as an intermediate crop on around 16,500 hectares of paddy fields that are already being harvested, while also promoting home gardening,” Karunaratne said, adding that these measures were aimed at ensuring that rice production was maintained and any potential shortages were minimised.

Experts have cautioned that El Niño-related weather changes could put a strain on water supplies and agricultural productivity, making preparedness measures critical to ensuring rice security in the country.