Investigations are underway to ascertain whether the controversial urea shipment weighing 9,795 MT, which arrived at the Colombo Port last week, long after the Government banned agrochemical imports, had been loaded prior to the imposition of the ban on importing chemical fertiliser, The Sunday Morning learnt.
Speaking to us, Sri Lanka Customs Spokesman Deputy Director (Legal) Sudattha Silva said that during the initial inquiries, it was revealed that the shipment had been loaded on 6 March 2021 from Malaysia.
This was two months prior to the government ban being imposed, while the date mentioned in the bill of lading (cargo bill) was also the same date.
“We are investigating as to whether those documents are true and whether the shipment had been loaded on the said date,” he said.
He noted that when further questioned as to how it took around four months for the consignment to arrive in Sri Lanka, the master of the ship had told the investigators that there were issues with the ship during the voyage and that in order to rectify those, the ship had turned back to Malaysia.
Silva stressed that the investigations would reveal whether this was true or not.
When queried as to whether the shipment would be released in case the investigation proves that the shipment had been loaded prior to the government ban, he pointed out that the National Fertiliser Secretariat (NFS) had also given its written approval for the importing of the fertiliser in March.
“We have referred the relevant documents to the Fertiliser Secretariat to ascertain whether they have actually issued the letters in March. However, they are yet to get back to us,” Silva elaborated.
Even if the shipment is cleared, it would only be released with written approval from the NFS, he added.
On 6 May 2021, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, in his capacity as the then Finance Minister, in accordance with Section 20 read together with Sub-Section 4 (1) and Section 14 of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969 as amended, promulgated the Imports and Exports (Control) Regulations No. 7 of 2021, effective since its publication in the Gazette (No. 2226/48 of 6 May 2021).
The Government has restricted and banned the import of fertilisers and agrochemicals (including insecticides and herbicides/weedicides). The said regulation is applicable to the import of goods with bills of lading and air waybills issued on or after 6 May 2021.
Source : Nation.lk
