Switch over to local products - Minister Amunugama

Katugastota Group Corr

The people should try to reduce sugar consumption and go in for substitutes such as kitul jaggery and other local products as it would be both beneficial for their health and help the country to reduce its massive sugar import bill, said International Monetary Co-operation Minister and Finance and Planning Deputy Minister Dr Sarath Amunugama.

Dr Amunugama said local sugar production is five percent of the total local demand. The balance is imported from countries such as Argentina and India spending an enormous amount of foreign exchange. Expenditure on sugar inputs can be drastically reduced if the people get used to kitul jaggery and other substitutes. "It is to facilitate this change over that the government provided relief and inducement to the kitul industry in the 2013 Budget". Dr Amunugama said this addressing a meeting which followed the opening of a new Vidatha Centre at Galagedara, built at a cost of Rs 7 million recently. The Minister said that Vidatha Centres helped transfer technology to the village sector.