Strong Call in Switzerland to Protect Sri Lanka’s Local Farmers Through Higher Import Taxes.

A strong appeal has been made in Switzerland urging the Government of Sri Lanka to take urgent action to protect its local agricultural sector by increasing import taxes on essential food items.

During an official visit by Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, a Sri Lankan expatriate entrepreneur presented a significant proposal focusing on strengthening domestic agriculture and reducing dependency on imports.

The proposal highlighted that essential commodities such as rice, potatoes, big onions, small onions, and dried chillies can be sufficiently produced within Sri Lanka. Therefore, increasing import duties on these goods would help stabilize local market prices and ensure better demand for domestic farmers.

Supporters of the proposal emphasized that restricting unnecessary imports would also help preserve the country’s valuable foreign exchange reserves, reducing pressure on Sri Lanka’s economy.

This viewpoint aligns with concerns previously expressed by several Northern Province representatives, including Members of Parliament who have spoken publicly about controlling rice imports to protect local producers.

However, the expatriate community stressed that such concerns should not remain only as political discussions or media statements. Instead, they urged that the policy should be formally debated in Parliament and enacted as a legally binding framework.

They further stated that only a structured import taxation policy can guarantee long-term protection for farmers, ensuring fair pricing, stable demand, and sustainable agricultural growth in Sri Lanka.