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Import of essential food items restricted

According to CWE sources, import of essential food items such as potato, B onion, red-onion, maize and chili will be restricted as a measure to protect and induce local production of these commodities.

The present import duty of Rs. 25.00 on potatoes, Rs. 15 on B onions, and Rs. 18 on red onions per kilogram will be retained, while a new import duty of Rs. 9.00 on maize is contemplated.

Agriculture, Forestry, Food and Co-operative Development Minister D. M. Jayaratne declaring open a CWE Economic Centre at Keppetipola recently assured that the present import duty on potatoes will not be abolished at any rate and said that the government will afford the farmers the technical know how and establish purchasing and marketing centres for agricultural products while in turn, due consideration for the standard of the produce is expected from the farmers.

Presently the CWE is buying potatoes from farmers at Rs. 40.00 to 45.00 per kilo.

The Minister also said that the Centre established at Keppetipola will enable the potato cultivators of Keppetipola, Welimada, Boralanda, and Uva Paranagama areas to market their produce conveniently and that the marketing facilities will be extended to include other varieties of vegetables as well. He added that a Major Economic Centre is intended to be set up in Colombo

Approximately 14,000 acres of land surrounding Keppetipola area are under vegetable cultivation out of which about 3,000 acres are under beans while 1,700 acres are under potato cultivation.

Badulla District MP R. Maddumabandara, CWE Chairman Mahinda Karunakalage and General Manager (Marketing) Upali Cooray also spoke.

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