It is revealed that even though the price of wheat flour in the world market has dropped greatly, the benefit cannot be given to the affected people due to the agreements entered into by the government with the two major flour importing companies, Prima and Serendib. Sri Lanka Latest News
Recently the leader of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that due to the monopoly power given to these two companies, they are currently making huge profits without lowering the price of flour.
The MP also pointed out that these two companies are making unlimited profits due to the government taking measures to ban the letter issued by the Import Controller on 16.06.2023, which had given the opportunity to import wheat flour without import permits, through the extraordinary gazette issued on 14.06.2023.
The MP said that although a kilo of wheat flour arrives at the port, the price is 110 rupees, but currently the company is selling a kilo of wheat flour at a high price of 210 rupees.
The MP also said:
Comparing the price of wheat flour in the world market, it is revealed that these companies are making high profits in the sale of local flour during the wheat flour import ban of the government. For example, when importing wheat flour from Turkey to Sri Lanka, the cost of landing 01 kg of flour at the port is only 110 rupees. The bakery industry has shown that flour can be sold at a profit of 160 rupees in the market by adding the tax amount of 35 rupees which was imposed earlier. In January 2023, Turkish wheat flour MT. The price of 01 USD 535, but 510 in February, 490 in March, 440 in April, 377 in May, and USD in June and July. 355 has gradually decreased.
The world market in January 310 tons of wheat grains. The price of 01 is 307 in February, 302 in March, 292 in April, 279 in May, 245 in June, and USD in July. 238 has gradually decreased.
On the other hand, in January Rs. 362.42 dollar value by June was recorded at Rs. As 301.26. Accordingly, it is very clear that these flour manufacturing companies have received and are receiving extremely unfair profits.’
