The Sri Lankan government announced a decision to import 100,000 metric tons of rice per month until the Tamil and Sinhala New Year in April, as shortages continue to impact on the market.
ColomboPage reports that though Sri Lanka's annular rice requirement is about 2.4 million metric tons a shortage has led to at least 30 percent of that requirement having to be imported.
Earlier this year the Sri Lankan government has cut import taxes on rice, flour, maize and fish in an attempt to keep prices down after drought affected crops. That special levy is now due to be extended until at least the 31st of March 2018.