Friday Mar 06, 2026
Friday Mar 06, 2026
Thursday, 5 March 2026 03:30 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Cabinet of Ministers on Tuesday took two separate, but related decisions aimed at regulating maize imports, whilst safeguarding local farmers and ensuring uninterrupted production of Thriposha during the year.
Maize, a key input for animal feed, Thriposha and human consumption, continues to face a domestic supply shortfall, compelling Sri Lanka to depend on imports. However, concerns over market distortions and the impact on local growers have prompted the Government to introduce a more structured import mechanism.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved introducing a formal pricing and import control framework. “A committee appointed by the Secretary to the Agriculture Ministry will determine maize prices going forward,” Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing yesterday.
He noted that the new system stipulates that only the shortfall that cannot be met by local production will be imported. Registered animal feed manufacturers and importers under the Department of Animal Production and Health will be permitted to bring in maize strictly during periods when the local harvest is unavailable in the market.
“The process will operate under the supervision of the Department of Animal Production and Health, with the explicit objective of preventing prejudice to local maize farmers,” he added.
This decision follows earlier Cabinet discussions in mid-December 2025, where the need for a proper mechanism was identified after various operational and market issues arose in recent months.
In a separate but connected move, the Cabinet of Ministers also approved a joint resolution enabling Sri Lanka Thriposha Ltd., to import up to 15,000 tons of maize in phases during 2026.
Sri Lanka Thriposha Ltd., has struggled to source adequate quantities of maize meeting required quality standards locally, which is critical for the production of Thriposha, a nutritional supplement program. However, maize imports are subject to multiple regulatory layers, including import control licences and plant import permits, often causing delays.
“To address this, the Secretaries to the Agriculture Ministry and the Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Ministry have formulated a stepwise import procedure aligned with procurement guidelines and regulatory requirements,” Dr. Jayatissa said.
He said the approved framework is designed to ensure the timely import of high-quality maize without bureaucratic bottlenecks, thereby preventing disruptions to Thriposha production.
