Cabinet approval has granted approval to import a capacity equal to 200 million coconuts of coconut kernel-related products and dried coconut pieces with coconut (non–copra) husks for manufacturing coconut oil adhering to the guidelines.
Secretaries to the Ministries of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development as well as Plantation and Community Infrastructure Facilities were ordered at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held of 27.01.2025 to prepare a methodology by inquiring all relevant parties regarding the possibility of immediately importing coconut kernels and other coconut related raw materials adhering to the legal provisions applicable at present. This was done so that an increased amount of local coconut harvest can be utilized for the industries utilizing coconut as a raw material temporarily as a remedy to the crisis in the market for use in the local consumption due to insufficient coconut production in the country.
Accordingly, the Department of Agriculture, Coconut Research Institute, Coconut Development Authority, Plant Quarantine Service and Sri Lanka Standards Institution jointly have prepared and submitted guidelines applicable to import of chilled coconut kernel and dried coconut pieces with coconut (non – copra) husk, coconut milk / coconut milk powder and desiccated coconut.
The Cabinet of Ministers has granted their concurrence to the joint proposal forwarded by the Ministers of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development as well as Plantation and Community Infrastructure Facilities to take measures to import a capacity equal to 200 million coconuts of coconut kernel related products and dried coconut pieces with coconut (non – copra) husks for manufacturing coconut oil adhering to the given guidelines.
The National Transport Commission (NTC) has said that an investigation into the recent incident where a student fell from the footboard of a ‘Sisu Sariya’ school bus, has revealed that the accident had resulted from the careless and negligent behaviour of both the driver and the conductor.
Issuing a statement, the NTC noted that, based on the preliminary findings, the Road Passenger Transport Authority of the North Western Province has taken steps to temporarily suspend the services of the driver and conductor involved.
Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Land and Irrigation – K.D. Lal Kantha has announced that the government has decided to import 300,000 MT of maize.
Speaking to the media after attending a District Development Committee meeting at the Kandy District Secretariat yesterday (July 03), the Minister explained that this decision was taken to prevent traders from artificially inflating maize prices.
He stated that certain large and medium-scale businesses dealing with animal feed have been hoarding maize, buying it from farmers at fair prices and reselling it at much higher rates.
According to the Minister, these traders were trying to push maize prices up to Rs.190-200 per kilogram, which would have driven up the cost of eggs to Rs.200 each and increased meat prices significantly.
The Minister emphasized that while businesses are entitled to make a profit, the government will not allow unfair price manipulation. He also noted that, in the past, even ministers profited from animal products, but those days have ended and racketeers will not be allowed to control the market.
To prevent excessive price drops that could hurt farmers, the Food Security Committee has proposed imposing a tax on imported maize, he said.
