News
Rising egg consumption should not deter exports: minister
By APSARA RODRIGO
ECONOMYNEXT– Sri Lanka’s egg consumption has risen by about one million, the Department of Animal Production and Health has said.
“The daily consumption of chicken eggs in this country was 7 million eggs and in the last few months that amount has exceeded to about 8 million eggs,” Department officials said in a discussion with Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industry Mahinda Amaraweera.
Amaraweera said the increase in local demand should not compromise Sri Lanka’s egg exports, and asked for a survey to be conducted on egg consumption.
Sri Lanka exports chicken eggs mainly to the Maldives, Amaraweera told EconomyNext. “Because of the presence of bird flu in other countries, there is a high demand for eggs from Sri Lanka.”
Switz Lanka, a hen egg producer which markets its product under the Happy Hen brand, exports eggs to the high-end Maldivian hospitality sector.
Maxies and Co Pvt Ltd is also listed as an egg exporter by Sri Lanka’s Export Development Board.
The increase in egg consumption in the island was attributed to the rise in foreign tourists, prices of meat and fish going up, as well as local demand for it as the cheapest protein food available.
A heated argument broke out between Jaffna District MP Archchuna Ramanathan and Fisheries Minister Ramalingam Chandrasekar during the Kilinochchi District Coordination Committee meeting held yesterday (16).
A video footage of the incident shows the MP and the Minister engaging in a heated verbal exchange, following which a physical confrontation appeared to develop when the Minister attempted to grab files reportedly in the possession of MP Ramanathan.
“If you lay a hand on me, I’ll lay a hand on you too… got it?” Ramanathan is heard telling the Minister during the exchange.
Police and officials present at the meeting intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further.
The circumstances that led to the confrontation were not immediately clear.
Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has filed an intervening petition before the Court of Appeal in connection with a petition filed by former head of the State Intelligence Service, Major General (Retired) Suresh Sallay, challenging his arrest and detention under the Prevention of Terrorism Act over investigations into the Easter Sunday terror attacks.
The Cardinal has sought permission from the court to make submissions in relation to Sallay’s petition and requested that it be dismissed.
The Colombo High Court yesterday fixed for Aug. 31 the pre-trial conference in the money laundering case filed by the Attorney General against former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s son, Yoshitha Rajapaksa, and his great-aunt Daisy Forrest.
The case was taken up before Colombo High Court Judge Rashmi Singappuli.
State Counsel Oswald Perera requested court to fix a date for the pre-trial conference and informed the judge that the prosecution would announce its position regarding the second accused, Daisy Forrest, at the conference. He also said the prosecution intended to notify court of amendments to the indictment.
After considering the submissions, Judge Singappuli ordered that the pre-trial conference be held on Aug. 31.
The Attorney General has indicted Yoshitha Rajapaksa and Daisy Forrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, alleging that they deposited nearly Rs. 59 million in bank accounts knowing, or having reason to believe, that the funds had been unlawfully acquired.
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