Trade Headlines

Sri Lanka cuts taxes on food imported from India
	COLOMBO: Faced with the grim prospect of a crippling island-wide traders' strike, the Sri Lankan government has drastically cut taxes on essential foods, most of which are imported from India. Essential Food Commodities Importers and Traders Association media secretary Hemaka Fernando said the government had cancelled the taxes imposed December 25 and introduced more reasonable rates. This would enable the India-Sri Lanka trade in essential foods to survive and the people of Sri Lanka to get essential commodities at reasonable prices. The commodities on which taxes have been cut include onions, potatoes, moong beans, chick peas, yellow split peas, chillies, sugar and split lentil. Most of these are imported from India.