Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe says coconut oil unfit for human consumption has been found in the local market.
Addressing the Parliament today, Minister Samarasinghe said the presence of coconut oil unfit for human consumption has been found during routine inspections conducted by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA).
“It has been identified through a market sample test conducted by the Consumer Affairs Authority that coconut oil available in the market is not in accordance with the required standards. Substandard coconut oil is being produced by local manufacturers without a proper understanding of quality and is released into the market. Additionally, some manufacturers intentionally produce substandard products to reduce production costs and gain higher profits, and release them into the market,” he said.
Outlining the measures taken by the government to prevent such substandard coconut oil from entering the local market, Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe said this was another kind of racket happening in Sri Lanka at present.
“We bring refined and unrefined coconut oil. We have identified that there are companies operating for 11 months. They are closing down the company without preparing accounts for the 12th month. Therefore, we will take legal action on our part. The goods coming into Sri Lanka through customs have already been identified,” he added.
Minister Wasantah Samarasinghe made the remarks in response to questions raised by opposition MP Chaminda Wijesiri in this regard. (Newswire)