| Come 2011, Sri Lanka is set to consume more imported food items, though not necessarily at lower prices. The large scale importation of chicken, eggs and coconut would stabilise prices, but will not lower it, according to Trade Ministry sources.
The first stock imported into Sri Lanka by the government on Friday, included five million coconuts, 500 metric tons of chicken and two million eggs, and was expected to control the sky rocketing food prices.
“Though Cabinet gave approval to import 50 million eggs and 2,500 metric tons of chicken, we decided to import less for the first consignment”, an official of the Ministry of Cooperatives & Internal Trade said.
The price of a coconut ranges from Rs 50-55 for large nuts, and Rs 45-50 for small nuts, which is a 63% increase when compared with last December. Additionally, considering the wholesale prices of both large and small Coconuts, prices have increased by 72% and 73% respectively.
He said that the imported stock was scheduled to reach Colombo a few days back, but got postponed due to heavy rains in India. He added that stocks will continue coming to Sri Lanka every 2-3 days from now on.
He said that the main problem was the rising price of eggs and B-onions.
The price of an egg ranges from Rs 16-20, which is about a 10% increase, compared with last year’s prices.
Commenting on the B-onions, he said that the local production of B-onions would have been sufficient till February 2011, if the heavy rains hadn’t destroyed the crops.
“More than 50% of the B-onion produced in Sri Lanka was destroyed due to the rains and floods, and it happened in India as well, which prompted the Indian government to ban the export of B-onions, after we had imported B-onions from India, which consequently, decreased the imports into Sri Lanka”, he explained.
The Ministry official confirmed that discussions were being held with Pakistan to import B-onions. “The quantity has not yet been decided”, he added.
When imported, he said, the price of B-onions will range from Rs 120-130.
However, according to the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research & Training Institute, the current prices of onions have increased by 29% for vedalan, 75% for imported red onion and 43% for big onions.
He remarked that, according to a research conducted by the Ministry of Cooperatives & Internal Trade, prices of essential food items, other than the ones scheduled to be imported, have decreased by around 20%, when compared with last December.
Responding to various allegations made by several parties regarding the quality of the imported food products, he said that the Ministry is following all the standard procedures when importing food into the country, and therefore, the quality of the imported provisions is assured.
“We take a Health Assurance report as well, before releasing them from the port”, he added. “The rumour about importing virus-infected coconuts from Kerala too is not true”, he reasoned.
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