A-9 closure no hindrance to food transport

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The closure of the A-9 road has not caused any breakdown in the supply of essential food items to the Jaffna peninsula since the Government has supplied essential food items to Jaffna by sea since August 17, Essential Services Commissioner S.B. Divaratne told the Daily News.

The Commissioner said food stocks sufficient for more than 12 days for a population of 653,735 have already been sent to the peninsula through six ship loads.

He said 8,861 metric tonnes of rice, 8,064 metric tonnes of wheat flour, 2,062 metric tonnes of sugar, 762 metric tonnes of dhal and 258 metric tonnes of milk food have already been dispatched to Jaffna.

Divaratne said the Jaffna population needs 4,500 metric tonnes of rice per month.

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In addition coconut oil, vegetable oil, palm oil, tinned fish and spices have also been transported to the peninsula.

The Commissioner said the transportation of food items to the peninsula will be accelerated after chartering the bigger ship MV Ruhunupura which can transport 8,000 metric tonnes in one trip.

He said the major problem confronted by the Government in transporting essential food items to the peninsula was the lack of ships to transport food items.

"No ship operators are willing to take the risk of transporting essential items due to LTTE threats," the Commissioner added.

The bad weather also affected the transportation of food stocks to the peninsula.

He said food items are being distributed throughout the Jaffna peninsula through 6,000 cooperative outlets and the Security Forces too are assisting food distribution by opening 14 welfare shops.