Bilateral talks on facilitation of Sticky Rice imports to Sri Lanka

By Ifham Nizam

Visiting Japanese Agriculture Minister Norikasu Suzuki had requested the government to ease stringent laws governing the importation of Sticky Rice to Sri Lanka, The Island Financial Review reliably learns.

Responding to the Japanese minister, Agriculture and Plantation Industries Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said that already a Cabinet paper had been submitted in this regard.

The Lankan minister agreed that strict laws were implemented during the Covid epidemic and that they had been a stumbling block when it comes to importing some goods and material.

Sticky Rice health benefits include increased bone density, decreased inflammation and improved heart health. The Japanese Sticky Rice is believed to boost metabolism as well. Sticky Rice is usually served to tourists in star class hotels in Sri Lanka.

The 37th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization had several rounds of bilateral discussions in relation to these issues.Amaraweera spoke about the minimum yield per hectare of paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka.

He said that the non-use of proper new technology in agriculture in this country has been the reason for the decrease in yield.As a remedy, attention was also paid to start a Japanese agricultural technology exchange program.

Regarding current obstacles to exporting fruits, such as mangoes and pineapples grown in our country to Japan, Amaraweera discussed the need to improve the dairy industry and provide the farmers of this country with new technical methods used by Japan for the development of livestock.

Amaraweera also held bilateral talks with a group of officials, including Philippine Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. Since rice research activities in the Philippines are very successful, ideas were exchanged regarding an arrangement for the transferring of those research methods.