Blame Game
In many countries politicians and state official blame private traders for price rises in bid to gain public sympathy when markets responds to economic forces unleashed by governments.
Sri Lanka last imposed price controls on rice in the mid 1970's when amidst heavy money printing when imports were severely restricted.
After printing money heavily for two years Sri Lanka has tightened monetary policy this year, but local rice prices are higher than international prices due to earlier restrictions on imports, where only state firms were allowed to import rice.
Meanwhile Sri Lanka's monetary regime, which is pegged to the US dollar has also been a sitting duck for inflationary forces unleashed by US money printing to save the country's banking system.
Global prices in commod