A committee has been appointed to formulate a programme to ban the consumption of sweetened drinks and wheat flour in school canteens and to increase the consumption of food prepared with rice flour.
The Mawbima Lanka Foundation made a request from Minister Mahinda Amaraweera to take steps to promote the use of rice flour instead of wheat flour, that is currently widely in use in the country.
The members of the Foundation said due to the decline in rice production in the country during the 2021 maha season, the consumption of rice flour among the public decreased, adding that since this year’s maha season harvests have been in abundance, called for the public to be directed to consume rice flour once again.
It was discussed to prioritise food prepared using rice flour instead of wheat flour in school canteens and to enforce the same at state offices.
Accordingly, a committee comprising officials of the Ministries of Health, Education and Agriculture were appointed to look into the matter.
Minister Amaraweera expressing his views said a decision of this nature must be run by the Director General of Health Services, as the main food controller in the country.
The Minister also claimed that following the maha season, a need will not arise to import rice any longer in 2023.
