The latest Central Bank statement states that US $ 415.7 million or Rs. 8439 million was spent on importing fruits and vegetables during the first nine months of last year.
It is noteworthy that this foreign exchange was spent only on imports of fruits and vegetables despite strict import restrictions against the backdrop of a severe dollar shortage in the country. In the first 11 months of 2020, US $ 374.3 million was spent on this. There was a marked increase last year despite restricting the import of essential commodities.
The immediate ban on chemical fertilizers by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has led to a severe breakdown in Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector and even a food crisis in the country. Imports of chemical fertilizers were US $ 259 million in 2020, compared to US $ 415.7 million in the first 11 months of last year to import vegetables and fruits alone.
