Amaraweera calls for end to import of nonessential goods

By Ifham Nizam

Environment Minister Mahinda Amaraweera yesterday expressed concern about funds spent on importing non-essential items; he stressed that they could be manufactured here.

“What the whole country needs to understand is that we must produce what we can. Let us cultivate what we can cultivate. If the Russia-Ukraine war escalates into a world war, there is nothing new to say about our fate. Even if you have money, you will not be able to import food,” he said.

Minister Amaraweera said that in 2021, Sri Lanka had imported USD 6 billion worth of non-essential goods. Every year 150 tonnes of bee honey are imported here. Last year, millions of dollars were spent on mobile phone imports.

Amaraweera said that USD 386.73 million had been spent on the importation of mobile phones last year.

“Our major problem is tackling the dollar crisis. When we earn USD 100, we have to pay off USD115 in debt. The amount of dollars the country receives is not enough to pay back the debt. There is a story in our villages about people who went bankrupt after eating cashew and kithl jaggery. The same thing has happened to us. I collected information on non-essential items imported into our country in the year 2021,” he added.

“Last year, USD 6 billion was spent on imports of non-essential items including cheese, butter, vegetables, fruits, ice cream, chocolate and sauces,” he said.

He also said that the amount spent on sugar and confectionery in 2020 was USD 277.13 million.