Govt to lift import restriction on turmeric

The government has decided to lift import restrictions on turmeric to ease the severe  local shortage coupled with adulterated products in the market and increasing attempts to smuggle into the country, a senior Cabinet Minister said.

Minister of Trade Bandula Gunawardana said  that relevant gazette notification lifting the existing import restrictions was issued yesterday in order to allow private importers to bring turmeric consignments from abroad.

Meanwhile, a Ministerial source said that attempts to release the turmeric consignments which were held back by the Customs for the local usage was put on hold following the intervention by the Presidential Secretariat.

Currently, illegally smuggled turmeric is being sold at an exorbitant price range of Rs 3000- 4500 in balck markets depending on the regions across the country. The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) also received many complaints of adulterated turmeric mixed with rice flour.  (See related story in Sunday Times tomorrow)