Sri Lanka ends the need for import control license for pulses and some other products

05-Jun-2024 02:44 PM

Colombo. The Sri Lankan government has ended the need to obtain import control license for pulses like moong, urad and lobia as well as sorghum, soya flour and peanuts etc.

It is worth mentioning that last year, due to severe shortage of foreign currency, the government had to implement a rule to limit the import of many important products and license was made mandatory for the import of the above items.

But due to weak domestic production and limited import, it was decided to decontrol the import of these products. According to a senior minister, the prices of various pulses and food products have increased drastically in Sri Lanka because its hoarding and black marketing is increasing.

The price of most pulses has increased to above Rs 1000 (Sri Lankan Rupee) per kg. It has gone out of the reach of common consumers.

At present, the domestic market price of moong is Rs. 1160 per kg, urad is Rs. 1610 per kg and cowpea is Rs. 1008 per kg while the price of peanuts has increased to Rs. 1200 per kg.

The minister said that it has become necessary to eliminate the requirement of import control license (permit) so that by increasing the supply and availability of pulses in the domestic sector, the rise in its prices can be controlled.

The government suspects that pulses are being imported illegally in the country, hoarding and black marketing is being done and the quality of imported goods is also not known. Import duty can be imposed on pulses.