Emergency regulations on essential food supply declared

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa declared emergency regulations formulated as per section 5 on essential food supply, with effect from midnight yesterday, by enforcing directives under section ii of the Ordinance, Presidential Secretariat said. 

The authorized officers will be able to take steps to provide essential food items at a concessionary rate to the public by purchasing stocks of essential food items including paddy, rice and sugar, at government-guaranteed prices or based on the Customs value on imported goods to prevent market irregularities which are causing inconvenience to consumers due to concealing of stocks of essential food items including paddy, rice and sugar and to prevent selling them at higher prices.

This will be implemented in such a way that the loans granted to purchase stocks from the State Banks could be recovered from the borrowers.

Major General M. D. S. P. Niwunhella has been appointed as the Commissioner General of Essential Services to coordinate the supply of paddy, rice, sugar and other consumer goods that are essential to maintain the livelihood of the people.

The relevant Extraordinary gazette can be accessed here.