The Sri Lankan government announced that it has banned the import of potatoes, in a bid to protect local farmers from going out of business this week.

The move comes after Sri Lanka announced that it would increase import taxes on both potatoes and onions last month, in a bid to increase vegetable prices.

Traders had complained that the falling prices of vegetables had left many of them unable to make a profit. Sameera Gurusingha, a potato grower from the South told the Sunday Times,

“We mortgage our properties to buy the components that we need for potato cultivation but we don’t get enough profits to pay the mortgage and regain our belongings. We have to use the income to begin the next cultivation.”

The government has made efforts to try and protect the Southern farmers, purchasing potatoes through state-owned Lanka Sathosa retail network as well as declaring a guaranteed price of Rs. 80 per kilo in March this year.

Also see our earlier posts:

Vendors who hoard rice face ‘stern action’ warns government (30 August 2014)

Minister urges workers to eat rice flour as wheat prices rise
(17 August 2014) 

‘Banning its roti and eating it too’ (11 January 2012)

Government’s plan to ban wheat will affect Tamils – UNP MP (09 Dec 2011)


SL Prime Minister calls for wheat and fruit import ban (07 Dec 2011)



44 million extremely poor suffer as food prices soar (19 Feb 2011)



Food for thought (04 Nov 2010)

Sri Lanka wages war on ‘wheat terror’ (10 November 2010)