Top bureaucrat fires broadside against poultry imports by Sajeewan Wijewardana
"I did not take part in the proceedings and I was not party to it. But what I say is that the present domestic production is sufficient to meet the normal demand," Director General Dr. S.K.R Amarasekara said.
"However, even if they decide to import, I will go through the cases one by one and analyse them thoroughly before issuing any permits. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently reported to the World Animal Health Organization (OIE-Office International Des Epizooties) that they are free of Avian influenza," he said.
Therefore the DAPH has relaxed some of its restrictions imposed some time ago, but the DG emphasized that he will not issue a blanket permit or relaxation to all chicken imports. "So any importer must furnish a valid health certificate and all relevant documents. If the USDA reports any Avian influenza again, we will not issue any import permits from USA," he said.
Meanwhile the All Island Poultry Association Chairman Dr. D.D Wanasinghe said that the Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle had agreed to observe the local industry for two months, and would import US products if the local prices go above Rs. 180 per kilo. "We assured him that the prices would not go up above Rs. 180 per kilo if the current input prices remains the same. If the input process goes up, the final product prices would go up as well," he said.
"The Minister was planning to import chicken thighs and legs and sell them at Rs. 80 per kilo. But those have no market in the USA, the chicken breast has the market. They are trying to find a market to dump their goods. Even India and Bangladesh have banned imports of such items and we are the only country contemplating such a move," he said. Minister Fernandopulle was not available for comment.
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