Measures have been taken to suspend the importation of several essential food items including potatoes, dhal, sugar and onions. The Association of Essential Commodity Food Importers said the move was prompted by a lack of dollars to import the goods.
Due to this situation, there will be a shortage of essential imported food items in the country as well as an increase in the prices of goods, said its spokesman Nihal Seneviratne.
He also said that sugar container were already stuck in the port due to a shortage of dollars. It costs at least $ 100-110 million a month to buy an essential food item.
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