COLOMBO, 02 September 2021, (TON): The government rejects the rumors that there is a shortage of essential food items such as rice and sugar in the country.

Issuing a statement, the Department of Government Information says that the government has sufficient food stocks to meet the demand of the people.

The statement reads “some local and foreign media and social media are propagating that there is a serious food shortage in Sri Lanka. Their reports have no basis. Some opposition politicians are repeating these lies.”

Reportedly, information has been received that some fraudulent traders hide stocks of essential food items such as paddy, rice, and sugar in order to make profits by selling them at higher prices later.

However, to defeat such anti-people efforts, the Public Security Act and the provisions relating to the provision of essential food items were enacted last Monday, the statement said.

“Its purpose was to seize the hidden food stocks and hand it over to other government agencies, including Sathosa, for sale at fair prices. It was possible to thwart the attempt to artificially create a food shortage.”