The Government allocated LKR 5 billion (USD 28 million) to purchase paddy from the 2019 main Maha crop, about to be harvested and expected at a bumper level, well above the previous drought-reduced outputs in 2017 and 2018. The Paddy Marketing Board will purchase Samba paddy at LKR 41 per kg (USD 230 per tonne) and Nadu paddy at LKR 38 per kg (USD 213 per tonne), same as under the 2018 Maha procurement drive. The Cost of Living Committee also recently announced the likelihood of new price controls on rice, a temporary measure adopted to safeguard consumers and producers.