Don't lift the palm oil import ban! National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection urges.

Ranjith Vithanage, President of the National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection, states that there is a preparation to re-import palm oil, which has been under an import ban since 2021. He mentioned that if the current government lifts the palm oil import ban that it has followed so far, consumers will protest against it.

Ranjith Vithanage, the president of the movement, stated this when he arrived at the Ministry of Trade in Colombo on Friday (2) morning. The president handed over a letter containing information about the reported resumption of palm oil imports to the Minister of Trade, Wasantha Samarasinghe.

The import of palm oil for consumption in this country was banned as palm oil itself since 2021. He pointed out that during those 6 years, consumers in this country purchased quality palm oil at an affordable price. The palm oil import ban in 2021 was implemented based on the recommendations of an expert panel. Subsequently, the law was relaxed for business purposes. However, Ranjith Vithanage, President of the Consumer Rights Protection Movement, revealed that an attempt is underway to reopen palm oil imports, disregarding those expert recommendations.

The current government was also strictly enforcing this law, and it is against such a backdrop that information about a readiness to re-import palm oil is being reported. The National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection states that this is due to the intervention of cunning businessmen and corrupt officials in this country.

The organization here offered its praise to the Minister of Trade for the measures taken by the current government for consumer safety. He further stated that if this law is changed and permission is granted again for palm oil imports, consumers will protest against it.