• 22 Mn eggs in STC stores to be released to mkt., local producers/suppliers summoned and ordered to submit info on stocks in hand 

The Ministry of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security said that it will take steps to import eggs and chicken if any kind of shortage is noticed in the days to come, said the Secretary to the Ministry, A.M.P.M.B. Atapattu.

In the eve of the Christmas festive season, a shortage of eggs and chicken has been reported in the domestic market since last week. The media reported that eggs and chicken are out of stock in mainstream markets in the island such as Pettah, Gampaha, and Kandy.

Against this backdrop, when contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (14), Attapattu said that local suppliers were asked to continue supplying eggs and chicken without withholding those in stocks while the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) was also instructed by the Ministry to raid if any such stocks are being kept in such a manner.

He also said that around 22 million (Mn) eggs are now in the stocks of the State Trading (General) Corporation (STC), and that therefore, no shortage will be reported in the next two weeks. He said that the subject Minister Nalin Fernando has instructed the STC to release all the stocks which they have in stores and also informed the relevant authorities to take steps to continuously monitor the market in order to avoid possible shortcomings.

He also said that frontline local producers and suppliers were summoned to the Ministry last Monday (11) and they were asked to submit information regarding the number of stocks which they have at the moment. According to Atapattu, the Ministry will take steps to import eggs and chicken continuously unless the shortage is not addressed by these measures.

He noted that the Ministry was prepared for such circumstances since the suppliers and sellers intentionally create such shortages during every festive season such as the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and Christmas. However, speaking on the same matter, the Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera also told the media on Wednesday (13) that the Government will take strict actions against those who are hiding eggs and chicken stocks without releasing those to the market.