Salt imports run into a muddle

The government’s efforts to resolve the salt crisis is running into a muddle with importers citing concerns that sufficient stocks cannot be imported within the stipulated time, particularly due to non-availability stocks in the southern part of India which is the closest market for Sri Lanka at the moment.

 

A spokesman for the Essential Commodities Importers’ and Traders’ Association told that there are around 20 more days for them to bring stocks into the country, and it was not a timeframe sufficient enough to import the required amount of salt, both non-iodized and edible.

 

A gazette notification has been issued permitting the importation of salt into Sri Lanka without the need for an import license until June 10,2025. It allows for the importation of both non-iodized and edible salt.

 

The government which initially decided on importing 30,000 tonnes of salt is now planning to import more. “That salt will begin to arrive in Sri Lanka from Wednesday, It looks like that is also not going to be enough” Trade Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said to the media.

 

The minister said “We think about 40,000 to 50,000 metric tonnes will arrive within the next 20 days. We have been informed that the first 100 containers will arrive next Wednesday.”

 

Speaking a salt importer said that “the time given for imports until June 10 is not enough and if the deadline is not increased prices are expected to rise further”, while another importer said “It will take time for the shipments to arrive from India because stocks are limited in the South of India, therefore imports will have to come from the North which increases time by an extra 10 days.”

 

According to the trade minister the daily consumption of salt in Sri Lanka is 500 tonnes.

 

A stock of 3,050 tonnes of salt is scheduled to be brought into the country tonight. This stock includes 250 tonnes of salt imported from the private sector and 2,800 metric tons of salt imported by the National Salt Company, the Trade minister mentioned.

 

There have also been reports of panic buying “As soon as news spread that salt may become unavailable, people began stockpiling” said Asela Bandara, Director of Consumer Affairs and Information at the Consumer Affairs Authority, highlighting that the panic-driven demand has disrupted normal distribution and intensified the shortfall.

 

Meanwhile, an official from the Trade Ministry said the stocks, to be imported before the deadline, would suffice to bring down prices .

 

“I do not know why importers have come to a different conclusion,” he said.