No gunny bags please!
Irangika RANGE
The Government has banned the use of gunny bags to pack fruits and
vegetables to be transported to Dedicated Economic Centers (DECs) in
Narahenpita and Ratmalana.
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Forty percent of the fruit and vegetable harvest gets
damaged due to packing in gunny sacks. Picture by Ruwan de
Silva |
Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operatives and Consumer Services
Minister Bandula Gunawardene told the Daily News that around 40 percent
of the harvest packed in gunny sacks damage fruits and vegetables when
they are transported to the market.
"Therefore, the Institute of Post Harvest Technology has recommended
plastic packaging to reduce wastage during transportation.
This system enables farmers to earn an additional income while
reducing the post-harvest loses on transportation and marketing of
produce, " the Minister said.
"It is unfair, if any farmer or vendor uses gunny sacks to transport
and market their fruits and vegetables as the Institution has provided
plastic packages to farmers under subsidized prices," Minister
Gunawardena said.
Meanwhile, two Police stations have been set up at the DEC premises
in Ratmalana and Narahenpita to supervise the transportation and
marketing of fruits and vegetables. "We arrested several lorries which
had transported fruits and vegetables in gunny sacks yesterday," the
Minister said.
"If a vendor uses gunny sacks to transport and market fruits and
vegetables, we will take over the trade stalls," he said.
The Minister said plastic packages will maintain the quality of
fruits and vegetables during transport and marketing. "We can maintain
the freshness of the items resulting in attracting more consumers,"
Minister Gunawardena said.
Vegetables and fruits from Jaffna , Dambulla, Thambuththegama,
Keppetipola, Balangoda, Nuwaraeliya, Embilipitiya, Thalawakele and
Puttalam are transported to the DECs in Narahenpita and Ratmalana.
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