SL Plant Quarantine Service receives LOD from Qingdao; NPQS maintains it position

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka's National Plant Quarantine Service on Wednesday (10) confirmed that it received a Letter of Demand (LOD) from Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd., challenging the test results of the Chinese Organic Fertilizer shipment to the country.

Additional Director of the NPQS Dr. W. N. R. Wickramarachchi told News 1st that the National Plant Quarantine Service maintains the position that the test results are accurate and are in accordance with International Standards.

In an Exclusive Interview with News 1st, Dr. Wickramarachchi stressed all international protocols were followed with regard to the Chinese Organic Fertilizer in question.

"The NPQS was established via an act and it is state body vested with a serious responsibility of ensuring that harmful pathogens DO NOT enter Sri Lanka," he stressed adding the NPQS tests all samples irrespective of the country of origin and the company.

He said after testing the samples, the NPQS sends those results to the relevant authorities in the Fertilizer Secretariat and Agriculture Ministry, and the NPQS does not worry if the results hurt a particular country or supplier.

Recently, Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd., the Chinese Organic Fertilizer Manufacturer, sent a Letter of Demand to the National Plant Quarantine Service.

The Letter of Demand seen Exclusively by News 1st notes that Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd., has suffered significant loss and damage in a sum of US$ 8 Million and continues to suffer further loss and damage due to loss of reputation and goodwill as well as existing and potential business, due to the negligent conduct of the National Plant Quarantine Service.

The LOD noted that the NPQS make a payment of US$ 8 Million within 3 days from the date hereof for the loss and damage caused to Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd.