Colombo (News 1st); President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has ordered the Excise Commissioner to issue a gazette prohibiting the use of maize for the production of liquor and ethanol.

Further, the President ordered the subject minister and officers to take immediate measures to put an end to the irregularities that take place when purchasing turmeric and maize from local farmers.

According to a statement from the President’s Media Division, the President had stressed the importance of ensuring local farmers receive a reasonable price for their turmeric and maize produce, adding the government should remain committed to preventing any irregularity from taking place when these stocks are obtained by traders.

In addition, the President had ordered for the stocks of turmeric illegally imported to the country by errant traders to be destroyed, while the Director-General of Customs and the Inspector General of Police were ordered to institute strict action against such traders.

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