Non-essential, unhealthy foods won’t be imported: MS

26 September 2017 05:07 pm - 11 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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President Maithripala Sirisena said that the National Economic Council expects to take immediate steps to stop importing all non-essential and unhealthy food items into the country.

He made these remarks at the opening of the Agricultural Exhibition held at the Training Institute of Department of Agriculture in Bombuwala, Kalutara on Monday.

Addressing the gathering, the President said more than Rs.25 billion is spent annually to import essential food items.

“It is essential to produce food required for our consumption in our country. Self-sufficiency in food was the identity and the culture of our country for past thousands of years and it should be protected. It is important that we give value to our products, if we are to help the agriculture economy as well as the national economy,” he said.

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Comments - 11

Niroshan Tuesday, 26 September 2017 05:37 PM

Our president seems to be still living in Sirimavo era.

Jayaruwan Tuesday, 26 September 2017 05:40 PM

Where are the rights that I have as a human being to eat the food that I like?I haven't been sick for years, and only go to a doctor for my annual check-up. Everything is OK, no nutrition deficit, no malnutrition, no diabetes... and I surely do NOT eat healthy compared what the president thinks is healthy.

Dallas Wednesday, 27 September 2017 08:54 AM

Depends on the age too, also majority of Sri Lankans develop Diabetes too early,

lkboy Tuesday, 26 September 2017 06:01 PM

Very good motive. But please make sure its affordable for common people.

concey Wednesday, 27 September 2017 04:16 AM

Can't compare thousand years ago to present time.Everything has changed from weather to manpower.

Sharon Wednesday, 27 September 2017 08:22 AM

Again saying something that won't happen under the sun. (There was a container of Glyphoset last week.... he banned it too)

Sharon Wednesday, 27 September 2017 08:25 AM

He remembered that he is a SLFPer and a Sirimavo man after seeing the Samadhiya yesterday....... Today he will become a capitalist once he see RW.

concerned Wednesday, 27 September 2017 11:02 AM

First ban imported fast food out-lets like KFC, McDonald, Kingburger, Submarine etc which has caused diabetes to young children in Sri Lanka and colo-rectal cancer is on the rise due to eating these fast foods which are unhealthy, non-essential and unnecessary foods.

Premalal Wednesday, 27 September 2017 11:09 AM

However essentials like duty free luxury vehicles which are absolute necessities for public service will be imported.

Lord Wolfstein Wednesday, 27 September 2017 11:28 AM

Who likes to eat what people have eaten 1,000 years ago? Many foods in Sri Lanka have substandard. As an example, neither good cheese, flour, noodles nor chocolate are produced in Sri Lanka. As long as the government has foreign exchange to buy such nonsense as warships and fighter jets must be also foreign exchange available for good food..

Mason Wednesday, 27 September 2017 11:50 AM

Luxury vehicles are unhealthy, you can see our elected representatives travelling in them becoming FAT by the hour, so these too should NOT be imported. There would be a saving in the Medical Bills.

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Non-essential, unhealthy foods won’t be imported: MS

Comments - 11

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