Sri Lanka:Traders up in arms against mill owners not providing rice at affordable rates in view of Thai Pongal
By Ranjith Rajapakse
The traders in several areas of the upcountry yesterday demonstrated demanding the supply of adequate stocks of Nadu and Red rice varieties in view of the Thai Pongal festive season.A number of Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim traders from Agarapathana, Manrasi and Dayagama in the Nuwara-Eliya District participated.
They pointed out that the rice mill owners supplied rice at higher rates and that it was not able to sell it to the consumers at controlled prices. They said they would be liable to legal action by the Consumer Affairs Authority if rice was sold for the prices based on the prices of rice mill owners.
The traders pointed out that it was a tradition among the Hindu devotees to prepare milk rice with red rice on the day of the festival. However, they would not be able to follow that tradition this year for want of red rice.
Thai Pongal festival which is an important event for the Hindu devotees will be on January 14. Red rice is widely consumed by Hindus.
This article was been republished from The Daily Mirror.