• The commercial banks do not issue sufficient US dollars to finance their trading activities
• We cannot lay blame on the government. The pandemic is the main reason for the present exchange crisis

The shortage of US dollars continues to affect imports to the country, despite measures by the government to address the matter, a spokesman said.  

  A spokesman for the Essential Commodities Importers’ and Traders’ Association said the commercial banks do not issue sufficient US dollars to finance their trading activities.  

“We cannot say the matter has been fully addressed now. We cannot lay blame on the government. The pandemic is the main reason for the present exchange crisis,” he said.  

Asked about sugar imports, he said some stocks had arrived and were sold off. However, he said it would be difficult in the future to provide sugar at the maximum retail price of Rs. 122 a kilo announced by the government.

• It would be difficult in the future to provide sugar at the maximum retail price of Rs. 122 a kilo announced by the government