By Lal Gunasekera
The transport and storage of vegetables and fruit in plastic crates have been made mandatory from tomorrow (November 1) by the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), through a special gazette notification to this effect.
Sources of the Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade told The Island that they had given ample time for merchants and transporters to introduce these crates to minimize damage to produce in transport and the law would now be applicable from tomorrow. Those found not using the plastic crates would be prosecuted with the assistance of the Police.
They said that wastage of vegetables and fruit could be reduced considerably with the use of plastic containers and that the farmers could earn much more than at present and consumers too could expect wholesome undamaged produce.
Some of the vegetables coming under this law are tomatoes, cabbage, beans, radish, green chillies, ladies fingers, onions, capsicums and beetroot, while the fruits falling into this category are papaya, mangoes, oranges, grapes, strawberries and mangosteens.
Over 4000 plastic crates have been sent by the Ministry of Cooperatives and Internal Trade to the Dambulla Economic Centre and certain other quantities to other economic centres in the country.
The small crates cost Rs, 500, medium Rs. 637 and extra large Rs. 1425, but the farmers, transporters and others are protesting over the prices of these containers and request the government authorities to make them available at concessionary rates.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=38051
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