Sri Lanka's new government decided to release imported rice stocks before the forthcoming harvest of the 2015 main season “maha” rice crop in February/March 2015. The government imported around 100 000 tonnes of rice in 2014 - including 50 000 tonnes from India, 15 000 tonnes from Vietnam and 25 000 tonnes from Bangladesh - with the aim of controlling the escalating price of rice, as prolonged drought conditions in the country led to a sharp decline of the 2014 paddy output to 3.6 million tonnes. The 2014 second season “yala” and main season “maha” rice crop fell by 30 percent and 17 percent respectively.