The Government has taken steps by introducing a mechanism that makes it mandatory to obtain licenses for importing wheat flour.

Under this situation importers are reluctant to import wheat flour creating a shortage in the market and allowing Prima and Serendib companies to dominate the industry

The issue was further exacerbated when the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) carried out an extensive raid on 4 August.

The operation, believed to be the largest conducted by the Authority to date, uncovered wheat flour among other food items unfit for human consumption. Among these items, there were stocks of infested flour suspected to be of Turkish origin.

Sri Lankan consumers are fed with low-quality and rejected flour from Africa. Recently US Wheat Associates raised alarm bells over the dumping of cheap Turkish flour around the world to the tune of $ 100 to 500 per year.