Arrangements have been made for people to buy turmeric powder packets at a maximum price of Rs. 2,400 from any Lanka Sathosa outlet and  Ceylon Spice Company (CSC) from today, Development of Minor Crops and Export Promotion State Minister Janaka Wakkumbura said.

He said the decision was taken to make pure turmiric power available for people living in rural areas. During pandemic times, one kilogram of turmiric power was sold in the local market at Rs.8,000.

With the higher demand, the President decided to ban the import of turmeric and encourage people to fulfil their needs with their own turmeric harvests. Before the decision came into effect, turmeric was imported from India.

Having encouraged the farmer community, the country yielded a significant turmeric harvest. The country has now become self-sufficient in quality turmeric, the State Minister said.

So far, the government has procured 500,000 kg of turmeric from farmers. Every year, people consume 7500 MT of turmeric powder, he said. The government is planning to get a harvest of 11,000 MT of turmeric through local cultivation and to export the remainder. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)