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Sathosa to buy Customs food only after quality check

14 Jun 2021

By Dinitha Rathnayake   Lanka Sathosa is set to receive essential food items confiscated by Sri Lanka Customs after ensuring proper approvals from the Industrial Technology Institute and Sri Lanka Standards Institution. Speaking to The Morning yesterday (13) Trade Ministry Secretary Badrani Jayawardena said these essential items would be examined by these institutes before purchasing, in order to decide if they are fit for human consumption. “After assessing all factors, these confiscated food items would be purchased by Sathosa from Sri Lanka Customs. Lanka Sathosa already has a system in place to provide essential food items to the public at affordable prices without any shortage in the current Covid-19 pandemic situation,” she said. According to Jayawardena, Lanka Sathosa purchases essential food items directly from the producer or the importer under forward agreements, so there is no additional cost involved. “We have 421 Sathosa outlets open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. where people could buy their essential food items during this pandemic time. If not, they could order online or call 1998,” Jayawardena added. According to Sri Lanka Customs, 10 metric tonnes of orid flour which was confiscated was tested by the quality controller of Sathosa recently and was not purchased, as it did not meet the required quality standards. Cabinet approval has been granted to sell essential food items confiscated by Sri Lanka Customs to the public at concessionary prices via Lanka Sathosa outlets. The Cabinet of Ministers approved the joint proposal tabled by Ports and Shipping Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena and Trade Minister Dr. Bandula Gunawardana to take necessary measures to provide essential food items confiscated by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and Sri Lankan Customs to Lanka Sathosa to enable the said system to function successfully.


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