Friday Sep 19, 2008
COLOMBO: The Government yesterday decided to grant duty concessions for the import of certain varieties of fish following the steep rise in fish prices in the local market causing a burden on the consumer.

The decision was taken by the Ministerial Sub Committee on Food Security and Cost of Living chaired by President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday morning.

The concession for the import of fish will be granted only to the Ceylon Fisheries Corporation while the President has entrusted the Ministry Secretary with the responsibility of ensuring that the market is supplied with adequate stocks.

It was also decided to provide rice stocks imported from Myanmar at Rs. 45 a kilo to Cooperatives. District Secretaries and the Paddy Marketing Board currently purchase the Yala harvest to maintain sufficient buffer stocks. Deputy Treasury Secretary Dr. R. H. S. Samaratunge said funds have already been released for this.

It was also disclosed at the meeting that a drastic drop in imported food items had been observed with farmers stepping up production under the Government's Api Vavamu Rata Hadamu programme.

Ministers Maithripala Sirisena, A.H.M. Fowzie, Bandula Gunawardena, and Felix Perera, Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Ministry Secretaries were present.

Source: DAILY NEWS