31 August 2021 12:00 am Views - 93
By Yohan Perera
The UNP yesterday urged the government to reduce the price of sugar and see that adequate stocks are available in the market.
UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene who had a discussion with the party activists via Zoom said it is possible to sell sugar at Rs 90 a kilo. “The price of sugar in the global market is one dollar. A kilo of sugar is sold at Rs 30 (Indian rupees) in India. It is possible to sell a kilo of sugar at Rs 90,” Mr. Wijewardene said.
“It has been reported that four storages have been found where a few metric tons of sugar were hidden. It is the government that should raid these storages. However, the government is silent today. The price of sugar is sold at Rs 220 a kilo today. The import duty for a kilo of sugar was reduced to 25 cents by this government. This had allowed the traders to earn high profit by hiding stocks and selling at a higher price,” he added.
“Some Ministers have said that the price hike of sugar is not an issue, as it is not good for the human body. Therefore, one can conclude that the price of sugar is kept high to reduce consumption. The government has also increased the price of pharmaceuticals.
Was the price of pharmaceuticals increased to reduce and discourage the usage?” he questioned.
“We urge the government to reduce the price of sugar and ensure that adequate stocks are available in the market,” he also said.