Sri Lanka restricts import of 367 non-essential items

Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa issued a gazette notification restricting the import of 367 fish fillets, fish items, milk, cream, buttermilk, curdled milk and cream with no valid import licence.

Colombo:Sri Lankan Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa issued a gazette notification restricting the import of 367 items with no valid import licence. The gazette came into effect from Thursday midnight, Xinhua news agency quoted the Department of Imports and Exports Control as saying. The restricted items include fish fillets, fish items, milk, cream, buttermilk, curdled milk, cream, yogurt, butter, cheese, curd, televisions and some fruits.

Any importers, who want to import items mentioned in the gazette, can apply for a licence from the Controller General of Imports and Exports Control. In recent weeks, a number of politicians have been critical of the import of aforesaid items. Former Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila alleged that Sri Lanka spends around USD 6 billion for the import of non-essential items a year.

IANS