Sri Lanka imposes taxes on imported potatoes to save the local farmer

Sri Lanka Minister of Cooperatives and Internal Trade Johnston Fernando says that the local potato farmers will be guaranteed a reasonable price for their product.

The price of potato has de-escalated in local markets as the farmers in potato growing districts are harvesting. The farmers complain that the markets are flooded with imported cheap potato bringing down the purchasing price of locally produced potato.

As an immediate measure, the government of Sri Lanka imposed a tax of Rs. 20 per kilo for imported potato with immediate effect.

The President's Media Unit says that the government took measures to impose the tax to save the local potato farmer.