By The Sunday Morning Business Desk
The recent Cabinet decision to temporarily suspend commodities that could be cultivated domestically only applies to agricultural crops that are being cultivated in Sri Lanka at the moment, the Ministry of Trade clarified to The Sunday Morning Business on Thursday (24).
On 16 September 2020, the Cabinet of Ministers approved three proposals as an interim measure to prevent a foreign exchange crisis. The recommendations that formed the cabinet proposal was made by a committee appointed to determine tariffs.
One of the recommendations was a “temporary suspension of the importation of non-essential goods and commodities that could be cultivated or manufactured domestically”.
However, the proposal seems to have created confusion over whether agricultural crops that have the potential to be cultivated in Sri Lanka but are not being cultivated at the moment in the country, at least on a large scale, were also included. If this was the case, it could create a shortage of a number of essential agricultural products in the country.
When The Sunday Morning Business contacted a spokesperson from the Ministry of Trade for clarification, the spokesperson said that the Ministry would only restrict produce that is being produced in Sri Lanka on a large scale.
“We do not want to restrict agricultural items that are not being cultivated in Sri Lanka as it would create a market shortage until we cultivate them in our country. It is also impractical to ban such things,” the spokesperson added.
Following the local spread of Covid-19 in mid-March, the Government imposed stringent import restrictions to avoid a foreign exchange crisis in the country. Sri Lanka, a country that is mostly dependent on imports to cater to local demand, was forced to rely heavily on local production.
One such agricultural crop that was banned from being imported was turmeric. The ban is expected to enable Sri Lanka to become self-sufficient in terms of turmeric by early 2022, according to the Department of Export Agriculture (DEA).Agri import ban: Only if cultivated locally
27 Sep 2020
Agri import ban: Only if cultivated locally
27 Sep 2020
By The Sunday Morning Business Desk
The recent Cabinet decision to temporarily suspend commodities that could be cultivated domestically only applies to agricultural crops that are being cultivated in Sri Lanka at the moment, the Ministry of Trade clarified to The Sunday Morning Business on Thursday (24).
On 16 September 2020, the Cabinet of Ministers approved three proposals as an interim measure to prevent a foreign exchange crisis. The recommendations that formed the cabinet proposal was made by a committee appointed to determine tariffs.
One of the recommendations was a “temporary suspension of the importation of non-essential goods and commodities that could be cultivated or manufactured domestically”.
However, the proposal seems to have created confusion over whether agricultural crops that have the potential to be cultivated in Sri Lanka but are not being cultivated at the moment in the country, at least on a large scale, were also included. If this was the case, it could create a shortage of a number of essential agricultural products in the country.
When The Sunday Morning Business contacted a spokesperson from the Ministry of Trade for clarification, the spokesperson said that the Ministry would only restrict produce that is being produced in Sri Lanka on a large scale.
“We do not want to restrict agricultural items that are not being cultivated in Sri Lanka as it would create a market shortage until we cultivate them in our country. It is also impractical to ban such things,” the spokesperson added.
Following the local spread of Covid-19 in mid-March, the Government imposed stringent import restrictions to avoid a foreign exchange crisis in the country. Sri Lanka, a country that is mostly dependent on imports to cater to local demand, was forced to rely heavily on local production.
One such agricultural crop that was banned from being imported was turmeric. The ban is expected to enable Sri Lanka to become self-sufficient in terms of turmeric by early 2022, according to the Department of Export Agriculture (DEA).Kapruka
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!