Agriculture Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage said the Government has planned to provide Nadu rice at Rs.98 per kilo to consumers soon.

“The consumer cannot be allowed to be exploited further by the rice mill-owners of this country.

We have planned to set up five large scale rice mills in five selected Administrative Districts under government patronage to end the rice monopoly created by few leading rice mill owners here.

He said that his Ministry has already made arrangements to set up large scale nurseries to produce quality seeds of different crops for farmers.

“About 52 types of seed varieties are now imported for our farmers, spending Rs.300 million annually,” he said.

He was of the view that the country can save money by producing seeds locally for crops.

“However, the Trade Ministry has now taken steps to import 1,000 metric tonnes of rice to meet the present rice shortage in the country now. Our responsibility is to help the farmers to stand as a community of wealthy and healthy lot in the future,” he said.