Registered farmers will receive free plastic crates shortly to transport fruits and vegetable.
The crisis that arose due to the mandatory compulsion to use plastic crates to tranport fruits and vegetables is now over, according to the Government. Discussions held between representatives of farmers and traders with President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade Johnston Fernando on Wednesday (14) ended postponing the implementation of the policy by one month.
While the implementation of the law was postponed by a month, the Government maintains there is nothing wrong with the policy and therefore it is not being scrapped altogether, Minister of Mass Media and Information Keheliya Rambukwella said.
“This period gives us time to create awareness on the issue and to work on short-term and long-term amendments that might be needed for this policy to be implemented successfully” Rambukwella said. An agreement was also reached to exclude some vegetables, namely brinjal, thalana batu, dambala, lady’s fingers, beetroot, and radish from the list of vegetables that require transportation in plastic crates.
The Government may amend this list in consultation with farmers and traders during this one month period, and more vegetables and fruits could be added to the list of items not covered by this policy, according to the Government.
Meanwhile, speaking in Parliament on Friday (16) Minister of Agrarian Services and Wildlife, S.M. Chandrasena said 13, 000 registered farmers’ organisations in the country will be provided with plastic crates free of charge to be distributed among the members. He claimed the Government had informed farmers about the impending policy some months ago, but the Opposition had given a wrong interpretation of the policy and misled the farmers and traders.
http://www.nation.lk/2011/12/18/news3.htm
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