The Cabinet has granted approval to lift the temporary ban imposed on the import of Black Gram to prevent a shortage in the market during the upcoming festival season.
According to the government, Sri Lanka’s annual Black Gram requirement is around 20,000 MT, but as the harvest reaches the market only during a certain period, there is a shortage of Black Gram in the market during the festive seasons of April and December each year.
Therefore, measures are required to be taken to prevent the shortage of Black Grams in the market during the upcoming festival season and to control the increase in the price of the small grain.
As such, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries to lift the temporary ban on the importation of Black Gram.
Approval has been granted to import 2000 metric tons of Black Gram only through the State Trading (General) Corporation, the National Food Promotion Board and the Hadabima Authority of Sri Lanka subject to the Special Commodity Tax imposed by the Special Commodities Act No. 48 of 2007. (NewsWire)