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Myanmar rice unlikely to stop skyrocketing keeri samba prices
View(s):Rice traders like K. Ananda Thavam believe that the Government’s decision to import rice from Myanmar will control the skyrocketing prices in the retail market, but doubt it could bring down the prices of keeri samba, a variety much in demand in urban areas.
The Cabinet this week decided to import 20,000 metric tonnes rice from Myanmar to stem the rising rice prices. The rice will be imported at a cost of US$ 460 a metric tonne by the Government-owned State Trading Corporation.
According to the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research Institute, in the retail market, white raw (kekulu) rice is sold between Rs. 125-140, red raw at Rs. 115-125, samba (I) between Rs. 160-180, nadu (I) between Rs. 140-150, nadu (II) Rs. 130-140 and keeri samba between Rs 220-250.
These prices are way higher than the prices during the same period last year.
Census and Statistics Department reports indicate that in November last year, the average price of red raw rice was Rs. 99 a kilo, white rice Rs. 98, nadu (red) Rs. 107, nadu (white) Rs.101 rupees, samba Rs. 109 and samba (I) Rs. 125.
Trader Thavam accused mill owners of manipulating the market.
“We know that the country has enough stocks to meet the demand till early next year, but with mill owners deciding the prices, there is a continuous increase in local varieties. People especially from restaurants and hotels come to our shops looking for the cheapest rice option. Often they buy Indian keeri ponni, ponni or nadu as prices of good quality local samba is beyond their reach,” he said.
The trader said the price hike in raw rice (kekulu varieties) had affected the people living outside the urban areas more. “The rice from Myanmar is more of a white raw rice kind, an alternative to white kekulu. Therefore, we are not sure whether, the move to import this variety could check the rise in keeri samba prices,” he added.
Senior agriculture economist Dr. R.M.Herath said he believed the Government would need to import rice for next year as well.
“There will definitely be a yield reduction this time due to the fertiliser shortage. In visits to Galgamuwa and Warawewa paddy growing areas, I noticed signs of a drop in harvest. To keep the prices under control, the Gvernment will have to continue to import rice from India and Myanmar,” he said.
Dr. Herath said that with the Mynamar rice variety being raw rice similar to kekulu, prices of keeri samba would continue to rise.
“Even now keeri samba prices have gone up to Rs. 275 a kilo in some places. Mill owners will focus on this rice variety to earn profit. They create artificial shortages of regular samba and nadu to compel the consumers to go for costly samba varieties,” he said.
Sri Lanka’s annual rice consumption is 2,340,000 metric tonnes.
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