A welcome move

The firm pledge made by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to make local producers partners in the Government’s economic drive deserves praise. Perhaps no other segment of the country’s trading community suffered more than this unfortunate lot of our local producers and manufacturers to the free market policies ushered in by the 1977 UNP Government.

The reckless imports of even local available goods broke the back of the local industries and the indigenous ventures. It also bred a new culture of embracing everything imported even if the quality of the local product is much superior. There was a time when even the simple kankun was imported.

Besides the flight of much needed foreign exchange there were other implications too in the unrestricted imports as seen in the stranglehold exercised by the US on countries such as Sri Lanka through wheat export. This, while enriching the wheat farmer dealt a body blow to the local farmer with the majority of our people especially the poor going for bread and wheat based products that was convenient and within their purse.

Hence the campaign to produce bread from rice flour and rice based products should be bolstered. This would not only see an increase in rice production but also the income levels of the farmer and local producer. The people too should be encouraged and to veer away from consuming wheat based products and go for locally produced items.

Speaking at the Suriya Sanga awards ceremony organized by the Mawbima Lanka Foundation at Temple Trees on Friday President Rajapaksa said local industrialists and producers will be made part and parcel of the process that would lead to economic prosperity of the country. He said the Government cannot depend on imports and that it has placed enormous trust on local industrialists and producers to win the economic war. Besides the end to the three-decade long war too has created the ideal climate for a spurt in local entrepreneurship.

It has always been the avowed policy of SLFP led Governments to extend patronage to local industries and uplift the lot of the indigenous manufacturer and local producer. One recalls the 70 -77 era when the policy of import substitution injected life into local industries. That was the time when local industries thrived and a new capitalist class emerged from among the local entrepreneurs.

True, the quality of some of the locally manufactured goods left a lot to be desired. But a start was made to give a place in the sun to the indigenous producers and local industries. Had this continued with proper guidance and accent on quality the country would have been self sufficient in many products that are now being imported.

The same goes for local food production too where the Government banned or restricted the import of certain items such as onions and chilies to encourage local production and uplift the local farmers. The rapturous receptions accorded to leaders of that Government by Jaffna farmers bears this out.

But the people in general failed to see the rationale behind this policy of encouraging the local producer and railed against the Government for restricting the transport of rice and chilies hal polu miris polu which also gave plenty of ammunition to the Opposition resulting in the invariable rejection of that Government at the elections and a death blow was dealt to local production with many of our local producers and manufacturers forced to put up shutters in the wake of the flood of imports.

No doubt President Rajapaksa who was a member of that Government realizes the importance of promoting local production particularly food production given the threat of a famine in the wake of the spate of natural disasters currently sweeping many parts of the world. In fact it was this local food production drive set in motion by the President in the immediate aftermath of his victory at the start of his first term that spared the country from the world food crisis in 2007 when many countries were hit by famine.

Now that President Rajapaksa is firmly entrenched in office with no national election for at least another five years he could well afford to revive and revitalize the local industries that have taken a beating by unrestricted imports. His firm pledge in this regard no doubt would encourage local industrialists to start new ventures or expand existing ones. The people too should be enjoined and encouraged to go for local products more and more like in India where the masses take pride in their local brands.

Like the President said the country should be proud of our own products referring to the misconception among most who consider imports to be the panacea for all ills. Hopefully the President’s move to inject new life into local industries and bolster local production would receive the full backing of the masses through their preference for local brands over imported ones.