Milk powder importers await with hope

The Milk Powder Importers Association stated that the stocks of milk powder stuck at the Colombo Port can be released if the commercial banks release the US dollars received from the Central Bank through the transactions conducted today.

Association member, Lakshman Weerasuriya, stated that obstacles to the release of milk powder containers due to the shortage of dollars are now being removed with the intervention of the Central Bank.

He further stated that if the foreign currency is received from the three commercial banks that they trade with, the stocks of milk powder can be released within the next two days.

With the recent forex crisis, a number of containers containing essential food items, including milk powder, were stuck in the Colombo Port and the Prime Minister had instructed that immediate action be taken to release those containers.

Accordingly, the Governor of the Central Bank recently took steps to release dollars to two state banks.

However, the importers also demanded that facilities be provided to obtain dollars from private banks as well.

Accordingly, it is reported that the Central Bank of Sri Lanka will direct the dollar exchange to commercial banks today.

In the face of this situation, it will be possible to release 360 ​​tons of milk powder stuck in the Colombo harbour.