Sri Lanka is for the most part self-employed. Only rice or isolated luxury foods are imported. Sri Lanka is proud of its own food production and the resulting independence. Food prices are under extreme pressure in the international markets, and the generous import demanded by the West would destroy local agriculture. The prices for food in Sri Lanka are quite high, sometimes higher than we know them from Germany. However, this leads to the small farmers get fair prices for their products. Agriculture is one of the most important cultural assets of Sri Lanka and it is important that its own agriculture is promoted and maintained.