News
Vote harvest speculation behind govt. initiatives on potatoes, onions
A Co-operative Wholesale Establishment (CWE) to pass on savings in shrewder purchases of potatoes and onions following an increased levy on those vegetable imports was welcomed by consumers and the government this week.
A.K. Varuna: Consumers would be hit further. Pix by Susantha Liyanawatte
Nevertheless speculation surfaced that the levy – aimed at boosting locally-grown onions and potatoes – and associated official moves were linked to increasing the government votes at next month’s Uva provincial council elections.
Most of the country’s potato farmers are in the Badulla district of Uva and the potato harvest is just coming in.
Farmers welcomed the levy, saying sales of locally-grown potatoes would now increase.
For the second time in a month, the Finance Ministry increased levies on imported potatoes and big onions. The tax on imported big onions increased from Rs. 25 to Rs. 35 per kilo and that on imported potatoes went up from Rs. 15 to Rs. 40.
The move was criticised by some.
K. Gamage: Govt. should reduce the prices of staple commodities
A. K. Varuna, a small-time potato and onion trader in Nugegoda, said that many people had reduced their purchases of potatoes and onions due to the high cost of living and he believed consumers would be hit further by the levies.
K. Gamage, a housewife, said the government should take measures to reduce the prices of staple commodities due to the high cost of living.
“We cannot change thpe way we eat as we are hardly living. The men in my family work hard to earn money
Kumara Karunanayake: Welcomed the CWE move
but with the continuing rise in the prices of potatoes and onions it has been difficult for me to manage our lives. The poor people are the ones to suffer from this levy,” said Ms. Gamage.
Kumara Karunanayake from Nugegoda welcomed the CWE’s recent decision to buy potatoes and big onions from Welimada and its suburbs in order to provideA them to consumers at lower prices but said the lack of Sathosa outlets prevents the benefits from reaching all consumers.
He suggested that the CWE initiative should be replicated around the country on each commodity to lower the prices and to protect both the producer and the consumer.
Consumer Affairs Authority Director-General J.M.U. Douglas said consumers would not be disadvantaged by the result of a mutual agreement between the CWE and farmers to purchase products for Rs. 80 a kilo and sell to consumers for Rs.90-95 a kilo.
He said the CWE’s price of domestic potatoes and onions will be the standard price range for private retail and wholesale traders and that the CWE’s action in buying and selling domestic potatoes and onions would stabilise the market.
