'Wheat flour drop may be cause for arsenic issue'

Nadira GUNATILLEKE

'A sharp decrease of wheat flower use in Sri Lanka during the past several years, can be one of the main reasons for the current 'arsenic issue', Cabinet spokesman and Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said.

"A rice ship sent by Sri Lanka to Turkey has been halted until tests are conducted for arsenic.

'There are major undercurrents going on within the world's trading community and commercial interests in this respect, Rambukwella said.

Addressing the weekly Cabinet press briefing at the Government Information Department auditorium yesterday Minister Rambukwella said that wheat flour use in Sri Lanka decreased considerably during the past few years and the annual consumption has come down from 41 kilograms to 28 kilograms per person.

"Sri Lanka produced a large amount of rice and the country became self-sufficient. Farmers became rich. Once an `insect' attacked our coconut cultivation. In future something can be `go wrong' in our tea production. It is possible considering incidents', he said.

Minister Rambukwella said that there are 'programmes' going on within the world commercial interests and some foreign countries send us certain items which they never use in their own countries.

"Once it was told that eating `Lotus yams (Nelum Ala) causes kidney disease in Anuradhapura and suburbs. There were similar stories in the past," he said.