Chicks, eggs come late for X’mas

By Shezna Shums

The Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade will release the two millions eggs to the market as soon as the shipment is cleared.

“We will flood the market with these eggs, because there is a high demand for eggs at the moment,” said Media Secretary, Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade, Nipun Ekanayake.

The eggs will be sent to Lak Sathosa outlets as well as private shops and supermarkets.

“Within the next few days we hope to bring down onions from Pakistan as well.

The shipment of chicken and eggs were delayed owing to bad weather conditions and the ship was not able to get to Sri Lanka on time from the port of Tuiticorin.

The Ministry is also looking at importing five million coconuts from Kerala.

The Cabinet has approved the import of 2500 metric tonnes of chicken and 50 million eggs. The rest of the items will be brought down as soon as possible and   kept as a buffer stock to be released when the need arises,” said the Ministry media secretary.

When questioned if these items will be coming too late into December and whether the quantity was too much, he said that they will be kept as a buffer stock for emergencies.

Chairman, Cooperative Wholesale Establishment (CWE), Eraj Fernando told the Daily FT that since chicken is now sold at even below Rs. 350, what the government is importing will be kept in cold storage.

Chicken can be kept for 6 months in cold storage and eggs can be stored for up to 3 months.

“We will be studying the weekly situation in the country and will be getting these items down,” Fernando said adding that “these items will be released in small quantities when the prices of local produce go up.”

The All Island Poultry Association urges the government to have discussions with them and have a systematic long term plan in order to meet the local demand for chicken and eggs in the future, rather than take short term measures that will not benefit the local poultry and egg industries to progress and be self sufficient.

Even the President Coconut Producers’ and Manufacturers’ Association Haren de Silva had earlier stated that the government should take action to improve the coconut industry in the country to ensure Sri Lankan coconut products stay competitive in the world market and stop the need to import coconuts.