* Importation of glyphosate is allowed with conditions Sat, Aug 13, 2022, 09:20 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Aug 13, Colombo: An Extraordinary Gazette notification has been issued allowing the importation of pesticide glyphosate with effect from 05 August 2022.
According to the notification, the import of N – (phosphonomethyl) Glycine and its salts and derivatives (Glyphosate) is permitted under the license issued by the Controller General of Imports and Exports subject to recommendation of the Registrar of Pesticide.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies has issued the Extraordinary Gazette notification in terms of the powers vested in him by Section 20 read together with Sub-Section 4(1) and Section 14 of the Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969 as amended by Act, No. 48 of 1985 and Act, No. 28 of 1987.
Registrar of Pesticides in November 2021 issued an Extraordinary Gazette notification revoking an earlier Gazette issued in 2014 prohibiting the use and sale of several pesticides including Glyphosate.
However, the then Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage took action to revoke the gazette lifting the ban on sale and use of Glyphosate and other agrochemicals and removed the Registrar of Pesticides from the post with immediate effect.
The ban on glyphosate affected the tea and rubber industries detrimentally and the economic losses to the country due to the ban have been estimated to be about 15 to 20 billion rupees annually.
the relevant Extraordinary Gazette notification