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)
First Bishop of the Batticaloa Diocese, Retired Bishop Joseph Ponnaiya, passed away today at the age of 74, following a brief illness.
The NPP government has been at the wheel for almost 6 months now. The time to keep looking at the rear view mirror and living in the past is about over.
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