Importers left in limbo as Govt. blocks 10,000 metric tons of salt over missed deadline

By Kelum Bandara 

The government has denied clearance for around 400 containers of salt imported to the country after June 10, 2025, which is the deadline set for imports to address the shortage in the local market, and it has left importers in a quandary, Daily Mirror learns. The stocks are now lying at the port.   
Salt production dropped in Sri Lanka due to weather-related reasons, triggering a major shortage in recent months prompting the government to lift restrictions on imports.   
The government has approved import of over 150,000 metric tons of salt. Sri Lanka faced an acute shortage of salt in the market. The government cited heavy rain that lashed the country in recent months as the reason for the decrease in salt production.   
Daily Mirror learns that around 10,000 metric tons of salt had arrived in Colombo after the deadline. According to the on-board bill of lading, June 10 has been mentioned as the delivery date.   
However, according to an informed source, the ships carrying containers of salt from Gujarat, India, had been delayed due to adverse weather conditions.   
“Ships remained anchored outside the port because of adverse weather. Even though port delivery was on time, shippers could not meet the deadline mentioned in the on-board bill of lading,” the source said.   
Importers are now at a loss since the government has declined to allow the release of these stocks valued over $ 1 million. According to the Essential Commodities Importers and Traders’ Association, such action by the government leads to erosion of confidence in Sri Lanka’s trading system.   
“Importers secure stocks from their suppliers. Suppliers ship stocks expecting payment in time. That is based on trust. That trust is lost when importers are unable to clear containers in time and settle transactions. Importers urged the goverment to release the containers as a special consession