Govt. raises taxes on imported rice

Minister of Finance Ravi Karunanayake said the commodity levy on imported rice has been raised by 15% effective midnight Sunday.

Accordingly duty on a kilogram of imported rice has been increased from 35 rupees to 50 rupees. The government has taken the measure ensure a fair price for rice in the market due to a surplus in local paddy stocks and the release of the harvest into the market.