"We have not over the last ten years had a concentrated policy which really examined in depth the supply-demand and all factors that come into play. We have been just doing things peace meal, one at a time (solutions) and reacting on issues."
Such as approach was dangerous and if the island continues with outdated policies passed down from previous generation "we will obviously crash land," Ranaweera told LBO in an interview during a recent forum on rising food prices.
Agriculture is not isolated but interconnected to trade, tariffs, import, production and consumption policies, economists told the forum.
Therefore the authorities must look at policy redirection from a larger perspective, they added.
In most years Sri Lanka's rice production costs have been higher than the costs elsewhere.
Local rice production has tra