• 180,000 MT imported despite initial 75,000 MT target for 2025 

Sri Lanka imported 180,000 MT of rice in 2025, more than double the quantity initially planned, after the Government determined that the original import target would be insufficient to stabilise domestic supplies, as learnt by The Sunday Morning.  

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security R.M. Jayawardana said: “We intended to import only about 70,000–75,000 MT, but after monitoring the daily situation, we found that amount would not be sufficient, so we imported approximately 180,000 MT.” 

He added that around 156,000 MT of keeri ponni samba as a substitute for keeri samba and another samba substitute had been imported this year after the Government established a 14-day import window without a tender process. 

“Those are the two types we have brought in, totalling about 156,000 MT. We haven’t brought in any kekulu,” Jayawardana noted. 

He rejected allegations that rice imports were to be blamed for the decline in paddy purchasing prices. Instead, he attributed the issue to an unanticipated surplus in domestic paddy production. 

However, farmers have strongly rejected the claim, arguing that despite sufficient domestic stocks, uncontrolled imports had caused market instability.

Commenting on pricing, Jayawardana said: “We recommended and fixed the price of keeri samba at Rs. 260, but traders were selling it for Rs. 380–400. To stabilise prices and the market, we imported keeri ponni samba and another samba substitute.” 

According to him, rice imports were permitted only during three limited periods: around December 2024 for approximately a month, last year (2025) for about a month, and again this year for a 14-day period.

“Last time around December 2024 was when we specifically experienced a rice shortage. Based on that, the opportunity to import rice was granted for a short period. Last year, the rice importing took place within about a month. It was only during that period. After that, we didn’t bring in any more. Last month, we gave a window of about 14 days, during which 156,000 MT were brought in. We granted the opportunity to bring rice in without going through a tender procedure,” he noted.

The Deputy Minister said that the surplus in paddy production had made it difficult for traders to purchase paddy at the Government’s guaranteed price of Rs. 120 per kg.

“The problem now is that there is a surplus in paddy production. With this surplus, even though we fixed the paddy purchasing price at Rs. 120 per kg, rice is being sold in the market for between Rs. 155 and Rs. 190. Some places sell red kekulu for Rs. 155 at minimum. They are selling kekulu and nadu at around Rs. 155, Rs. 170, and Rs. 180. 

“If traders buy paddy at Rs. 120, they will have to sell rice at around Rs. 210–220. Because of that, businessmen are not buying paddy at Rs. 120 or anywhere near it. As the Government, we are buying paddy again this season,” he said.

However, National Agrarian Unity President Anuradha Tennakoon rejected the Deputy Minister’s explanation, arguing that Sri Lanka had previously produced more than enough paddy to meet yearly rice demand. 

Tennakoon alleged that the Government had allowed unrestricted imports despite adequate domestic stocks and that the volume imported far exceeded what was required.

“You only need to import rice when there isn’t enough paddy to meet the country’s rice requirement. Farmers in this country have always cultivated a paddy surplus. Every year, Sri Lanka produces 4.6–5 million MT of paddy from the Yala and Maha seasons, while only about 3.7–3.8 million MT are needed to meet annual rice requirements of about 2.45 million MT. 

“We already have a surplus of around 1 million MT. This has been the case every time, for many years now. The Government does not have precise data to calculate the actual rice requirement. We should only import rice relative to the annual rice consumption, if the domestic paddy supply is insufficient,” he said.