Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Friday, 20 December 2024 00:35 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Cabinet of Ministers at their meeting on Wednesday approved allowing import of 30,000 tons of salt amidst a possible shortage in the first quarter of 2025.
The move allows to import raw non-iodised salt on or before 31 January 2025 through the State Trading Corporation (STC) and to supply it to the local market.
Speaking at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday, Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the adverse weather conditions that prevailed could contribute to a possible shortage of salt arising in the first quarter of 2025, particularly in the industrial sector.
He said the salt production of Sri Lanka is sufficient to meet the domestic and industrial requirements of the country, and the salt yield depends on weather conditions. However, it has been observed that there may be a shortage of supplying salt in the domestic market for the domestic and industry requirements in the year 2025 due to bad weather in the country.
“As a remedial measure, the salt manufacturers have made a request to grant permission to import 30,000 tons of raw non-iodised salt as per the prevailing duty rates to be processed and supplied to the market,” he added.
The joint proposal presented by the Trade, Commercial, Food Security, and Co-operative Development Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe and Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Minister Sunil Handuneththi was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
