Sri Lanka bans rice as animal feed

The Sri Lanka government has banned the use of paddy and rice as animal feed.

Minister Bandula Gunawardana banned the purchase, transport, storage, processing and sale of rice and paddy as animal feed.

He said that the recent price hike of rice could be the result of using paddy to manufacture animal feed. "The decision to ban the use of rice and paddy is needed to prevent further rice shortage in the market," he said.