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| Sunday, 6 January 2002 |
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Import of flowers banned from May by Umangi de Mel The import of flowers into the country has been banned with effect from May this year. This was revealed by S. B. Dissanayake, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock. Despite Sri Lanka's tropical climatic conditions and abundance of flora, nearly 10,000 varieties of flowers worth millions of rupees in foreign exchange annually, are being imported from other countries. The varieties of flowers imported include Chrysanthemum, Roses, Lilies, Tulips, Babies breath and Jerberas (Barbatans). According to Cyril Wijesundara, Botanical Gardens Director, flowers had to be imported since they were not grown in the country. They were imported from countries like Holland, South Africa, Singapore, India and New Zealand, when they could easily be grown here. Dr. Rohini Ekanayake, Deputy Director of the National Plant Quarantine Service of the Department of Agriculture, said that several importers were bartering flowers without a plant importation permit. As many as 93,174 different varieties of flowers were allowed to be to be imported into the country last year. but the importers had brought in 15 times more than that quantum ," she said adding that they should be careful about the imported flowers because of the inherent diseases in them. Minister Dissanayake said that the main aim of banning them was to promote the flower industry in the country. Since there were enough flowers in the country, it was absurd to import any more from other countries,costing millions of rupees. The National plant Quarantine Service has decided to issue permits for the import of only five different types of flowers. "We have to wait and see how the local production takes shape before a total ban is determined," Dr. Ekanayake said. |
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