Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2024-04-01 (Subject to Confirmation at the next Meeting)

Obtaining Permission to import Black gram

- The annual black gram requirement in Sri Lanka is about 20,000 MT, but due to the time durations of the product reaching the market, a shortage of black gram in the market is observed during the festive months of April and December every year. Accordingly, measures should be taken to prevent the shortage of black gram in the market and control the price increase in black gram during the coming festive season. Therefore, the proposal made by the Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries to lift the temporary ban imposed currently on the importation of black gram and import 2,000 MT of black gram according to the local requirement only through Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation Ltd, the National Food Promotion Board and the Sri Lanka Hadabima Authority, subject to the Special Commodity Levy imposed as per the Special Commodity Levy Act, No.48 of 2007, was approved by the Cabinet.