Import Permit frauds threaten essential food supply chain

• Importers complain about lack of transparency in issuing import permits 
• Local crops failed last year because of heavy rain
• Ban on imports imposed earlier to boost  local cultivation 

By Kelum Bandara 

The members of the Essential Food Commodities and  Traders Association yesterday raised concerns with Trade Minister Nalin  Fernando about alleged frauds in getting approval by the Agriculture  Ministry authorities to import items such as green gram, black gram,  Kurakkan, maize and cowpea, Daily Mirror learns.  

Sri Lanka imposed a ban on imports earlier in a move to boost  local cultivation of these food crops. Later, the ban was lifted  allowing such imports into the country subjected to a levy of Rs.300 a  kilo and approval from the Agriculture Ministry.  

President Ranil  Wickremesinghe issued the gazette notification in this regard on  February 19, 2024.   However, an informed source said that obtaining approval from the Ministry for import permits had become fraudulent.  
“In an open market economy, it is natural to have fraud  when imports are allowed under licensing procedures. These items are  consumed by ordinary people. If we are allowed to import, these items  will cost less than Rs.300 a kilo,” the source said. 

 
According to the source, these items are also smuggled into the country denying the government revenue in terms of taxes.   

The demand for items such as green gram and black gram  normally surges during the April New Year time because people use them to  prepare sweetmeats and other food items.   
Local crops also failed last year because of heavy rain.