Measures to stabilize potato, b’onion prices

*Govt considers requests by farmers

*Bumper harvest expected

Irangika RANGE

The import tax on potatoes and big onions was raised due to farmers’ demands as it is the harvesting season for these products. A Finance and Planning Ministry spokesman said the supply of locally grown potatoes and big onions will increase in the coming months as a result of a bumper harvest being reaped in many parts of the country.

The government, considering the requests made by farmers decided to increase the import tax on potatoes from Rs.30 to Rs.35 per kilo and big onions from Rs.10 to Rs.25 per kilo with effect from yesterday.

The government increased the import tax on garlic from Rs.10 to Rs. 25 per kilo to stabilize the garlic price in the local market.

The taxes were revised to protect the local farmers considering the fact that a huge supply of potatoes and big onions is expected to flood the market in the coming months.

“The farmer community and several farmer organizations put forward their request to increase the import taxes imposed on potatoes and big onions or for the temporary suspension of imports to the country,” the spokesman said.

“These temporary measures to increase import taxes on certain food items are being taken to stabilize the local prices, and at the same time we will also be protecting the local farmers,” he explained.

A bumper harvest of nearly 65,000 metric tonnes of potatoes is expected from potato planting areas of Welimada, Uva-Paranagama, Bandarawela, Haputhale, Haliela while a bumper big onion harvest is expected from the Matale and Dambulla areas.