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Bakers, confectioners request palm oil import license 

13 Apr 2021

  • Await urgent response from Finance Ministry 

  Following the ban imposed on the importation of palm oil, bakery owners and confectionery manufacturers jointly submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Finance yesterday (12) to provide the industries with a license to import the necessary stocks of palm oil for production.  Speaking to The Morning, Lanka Confectionery Manufacturers’ Association (LCMA) Chairman S.M.D. Suriyakumara said that a joint proposal was submitted along with the All Ceylon Bakery Owners’ Association (ACBOA) and that they hope for a response on the part of the Government after the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.  “We had been asked to submit a proposal with our suggestions and recommendations to the Secretary to the Treasury and the Finance Ministry. We submitted our proposals which included a license for the industries.”  When inquired about the current status of the industry, Suriyakumara said that the currently available palm oil stocks are being utilised for production and that they hope that the Government will provide them with relief soon.  On 5 April, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa issued instructions to completely ban the importation of palm oil with immediate effect.  However, speaking to The Morning following the ban, the ACBOA and the LCMA claimed that the ban would shut down the industries. The LCMA requested the Government to provide them with a special license to import the necessary stocks of palm oil.  Addressing the Parliament on 7 April, Minister of Trade Bandula Gunawardana said that the confectionary and bakery industries would not shut down as they would be issued with a special licence to import the necessary stocks of palm oil.  The confectionary industry requires about 2,500 metric tonnes of palm oil per month.


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