The Hon. (Prof.) L.M. Abeywickrama

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I am pleased to participate in this debate on the Regulations permitting importation of salt without licences. Much of the debate has not been about salt—because the Government has handled it well, leaving little room for criticism.

¶ 02 Salt has inelastic demand. Though WHO recommends daily intake of 5 grams per person, Sri Lankans consume more—about 8.3 grams per person per day. For a household of four or five, roughly one kilo per month suffices for food. Industry also needs salt. Demand is steady, but supply varies because our salt industry is at a very primary level and entirely dependent on weather. The four main salterns—Hambantota, Puttalam, Elephant Pass and Mannar—produce about 200,000 metric tonnes annually; national need is about 180,000 metric tonnes. So in normal weather we are self-sufficient. But in 2024, continuous rains reduced evaporation and cut production; the early months of this year also saw rains, leading by May to shortfall. Traders exploited this to create an artificial shortage.