Two suspects and 29 sacks of ginger which were smuggled to Sri Lanka illegally from India by sea were seized by Norochcholai police at Illantadia beach in a backdrop of the nation’s surging ginger prices.
Three fishing boats which were suspected to have been used to transport these ginger stacks and a GPS device have also been seized.
The stock contained 1456 kg of ginger, with a gross worth of about Rs. 10 million, according to the Norochcholai police.
The suspects, aged between 30 and 40 years, were identified as residents of the Uchchimune area in Kalpitiya. They are to be produced before the Puttalam Magistrate Court along with seized items.
The police claim that they have attempted to smuggle ginger from India by sea given the high price of the spice in the local market.
The suspects and seized items are to be produced before the Puttalam Magistrate Court.
Meanwhile, as the price of ginger soars, the government is considering importing 2000 metric tonnes of ginger to keep costs stable, the Sunday Times reported on June 2.
Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera, has claimed that import limitations during the previous few years were to blame for the skyrocketing prices.
The average consumer used to be able to purchase ginger for less than Rs. 1,000 per kilogram, but in recent months, the retail price has been rapidly rising, requiring customers to pay over Rs. 480 for 100 grams.
According to the Department of Minor Export Crops (DMEC) Director General A.P.P. Disna, early harvesting in November and December occurred as a result of the price of ginger rising to between Rs. 1000 and Rs. 1500 in the 2021–2022 timeframe.
Higher prices and more demand led to the product’s early entrance onto the market.
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Seized motor boats and ginger sacks
Pix by: Padma Kumari Kankanamge - Kalpitiya
With ginger prices skyrocketing, the authorities are mulling the import of about 2000 metric tonnes. Pic by: Priyanka Samaraweera
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