• Lack of forex within banking system
• Items such as sugar and dhal 

By Kelum Bandara

The Essential Food Commodities Importers and Traders’ Association sought the intervention of Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardana yesterday to release around 1,000 containers of food items stuck at the port due to lack of foreign exchange to be paid for them.

A spokesman for the Association told Daily Mirror the Minister called for a meeting yesterday to discuss issues being faced by them in import trading.  

He said these were containers of food commodities such as sugar and dhal. “We don’t find sufficient foreign exchange within the banking system. When the containers remain stuck at the ports, we have to pay demurrage. Then, it becomes costly at the end,” he said.

• When the containers remain stuck at the ports, we have to pay demurrage. Then, it becomes costly at the end