A Gazette Extraordinary has been issued directing individuals who stock corn, sugar, powdered milk and paddy/rice to register themselves with the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA), in a bid to prevent them from concealing stocks.
Accordingly, importers, producers, mill owners, collectors, store owners, distributors or wholesale sellers will not be allowed to keep stocks of aforementioned essential food items in their possession without being registered with the CAA.
The relevant individuals have been instructed to register themselves within a period of 7 days.
The gazette notification issued by the CAA Chairman Major General (Rtd.) Shantha Dissanayake on Friday (June 11) noted that that importers, producers, mill owners, collectors, store owners, distributors or wholesale sellers are required to provide information on the product stocks in their possession to the CAA when asked.
These directives will come into effect from June 11, and they are not applied to farmers who harvest rice and corn from their own cultivation, the gazette notification further stated.
State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna stated that all stockists and traders of paddy/rice, sugar, powdered milk and corn can register and update their stock details through the official website of the Consumer Affairs Authority website: www.caa.gov.lk