Sri Lanka: Beating Grain Prices With Home Grown Rice

Drastically lowered wheat consumption in this island country — once running close to that of the domestically grown staple rice — has been welcomed by food security experts as the only way to beat the current rise in global grain prices.

President Mahinda Rajapakse is among those who have publicly welcomed the reversal in the dietary habits of Sri Lankans and the return to rice and pulses.

“I am exceedingly glad at the fall in consumption of wheat-flour based products. Despite the fact that we possess very fertile lands, the consumption of (imported) wheat was forced upon us, initially by the provision of wheat free of charge, and later on credit, until we were addicted to it,” the President told a meeting of his nationalist Sri Lanka Freedom Party earlier this month.

On Friday, the Rome-based Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) listed Sri Lanka among 14 countries facing ‘food emergencies’ due to rising prices.

Asian countries in the FAO list included Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Tajikistan and Armenia while Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Nigeria, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia and Mozambique figured under Africa.

Sri Lanka has also raised tariffs on imported grain and issued appeals to major rice exporters such as Indian and Vietnam for increased supplies of rice. …more>>