(LANKAPUVATH | COLOMBO) – President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed Trade Minister Naleen Fernando to give a complete report to the Cabinet next week on the parties that do not give approval to import eggs.
Cabinet Spokesman, Minister of Media, Transport and Highways, Dr. Bandula Gunawardena said that there will be a higher than normal demand for eggs during the upcoming festival season, and the cabinet id of the view that if there is no adequate production in the country, the amount of eggs needed to meet the shortage should be imported.
At the press conference to announce the Cabinet decisions held yesterday (31) at the Government Information Department, Minister Gunawardena said there is currently a shortage of eggs in the situation where the supply of eggs cannot meet the demand.
“Inflationary pressure is created in that deficit and the price of an egg increases. In such cases, the strategy is to import sufficient quantity to cover the demand and supply and present it to the market. That is the process followed by every country. If the production in one’s own country is not enough, there is a huge demand for that insufficient quantity. If a small amount of goods is followed by a large demand, its price will inevitably rise. It is a truth that even a small child knows,” Minister Gunawardena explained.
“The minister in charge of trade informed the cabinet that the State Trading Corporation plans to import a small quantity of eggs from India and distribute them not to markets, but to hospitals, school lunches, to the bakery industry. But the minister informed the cabinet yesterday that certain forces are operating not to give the necessary approvals. The President ordered a full report on those parties to be given to the cabinet next week,” he added.
Minister Gunawardena noted that the demand for food needs increases by March and April as the Sinhala and Tamil New Year festive season is approaching. The idea of the cabinet is to import some quantity to cover the shortage in order to control the price pressure on the consumer in that situation.
“There are countries in the world that export eggs. India is the main exporter of eggs. If someone decides that something sent to other countries of the world cannot be brought to our country, they should give reasonable reasons for that decision,” the Minister said.
