The All Island Canteen Owners’ Association (AICOA) along with the Lanka Self Employees’ Association yesterday said that imported rice which was unfit for human consumption that was sold for the purpose of animal food has been circulating in the market.
Addressing a media briefing its President Asela Sampath stressed that there is a rice shortage and a rice mafia can seen in the market.
“Canteen owners were forced to use this rice which is unfit to human use to protect their trade as they were less in price” He said. ‘If this expired rice cannot be removed from the market canteen owners have to face the circumstances. We would not bear the responsibility as we were pushed down to this situation by the Government. Ultimately the people would be the ones who suffer by this expired rice”, he said.
He further said that there are products in the market which are unfit for human consumption and they had to purchase them. He also mentioned that the matter is directly responsible by the Consumer Department and the officials attached to the department should immediately take measures to remove the expired rice from the market as soon as possible.
Adding his comments at the briefing Sunil Jayawardena, President of Lanka Self-Employees’ Association mentioned that the Agriculture Minister and the Government were responsible for the current matter. (Thilanka Kanakarathna)
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