CAA raids traders selling coconuts above MRP; State Minister to address measuring issue

by Zulfick Farzan 28-09-2020 | 6:21 PM

Colombo (News 1st); The Consumer Affairs Authority on Monday (28) launched raids to locate retailers selling coconut above the government imposed Maximum Retail Price.

However, the decision to measure coconuts by inches for categorization has come under strong criticism from consumers and well as traders.

Nevertheless, the Consumer Affairs Authority instituted legal action against multiple traders on Monday (28).

CAA Senior Investigator Ranjith Weerawardena said small and joint businesses will be fined between Rs. 1000/- to Rs. 10,000 while corporations will be fined between Rs. 10,000 - Rs. 100,000/-, if they are selling coconuts above the MRP.

Legal action was instituted against 56 traders for selling coconuts above the MRB, said the CAA.

However, Leader of the JVP Anura Kumara Dissanayake said the level of measures was changed back in the 1980s adding Metres and Centimetres are the accepted measurements in Sri Lanka.

If a person commits an offence using inches as a level of measurement, he cannot be taken to court because Metres and Centimetres are the accepts measurements in Sri Lanka, said Dissanayake.

Hector Appuhamy, a lawmaker from the Samagi Jana Balavegaya said the very people who were against the Fuel Price Formula are looking for a formula for coconuts.

He said the government is deceiving the general public and cannot even fix a price on coconuts.

However, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Parliamentarian Dilan Perera said there is no need to introduce any formula to price coconuts adding, " Coconuts can be priced based on their size, Big or Small".

State Minister of Advanced Technology Agriculture Shasheendra Rajapaksa said regulations are in place to control the price of coconuts adding the issue with measuring coconuts will be addressed.