Consumer Rights Group Accuses Finance Ministry Officials of Plot to Restore Palm Oil Imports

The National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection has levelled serious allegations against certain officials within the Finance Ministry, claiming they are working behind the scenes to lift existing restrictions on palm oil imports into Sri Lanka.

Accusations of Misleading the President

According to the consumer rights organisation, the alleged scheme involves deliberately providing inaccurate or misleading information to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who also holds the portfolio of Finance Minister, as well as to the Cabinet of Ministers. The group contends that these officials are using deception as a tool to push through a policy reversal that would benefit palm oil importers at the expense of ordinary Sri Lankan consumers and local agricultural interests.

A Longstanding Policy Under Threat

Sri Lanka has maintained restrictions on palm oil imports in recent years, a policy widely seen as protecting both the health of consumers and the livelihoods of local coconut farmers. Environmental concerns surrounding palm oil cultivation have also played a significant role in sustaining these restrictions. Consumer advocates argue that any move to dismantle these safeguards would be a serious setback for public health and the domestic agricultural sector.

Consumer Activists Sound the Alarm

The Chairman of the National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection has called on President Dissanayake to exercise caution and carefully scrutinise any proposals placed before him regarding palm oil import policy. The organisation urged the President not to allow vested interests within the bureaucracy to undermine a policy that has been broadly welcomed by health professionals, environmentalists, and farming communities across the island.

The consumer rights body stressed that the removal of palm oil import restrictions would represent a betrayal of the public trust placed in the current administration, which came to power on promises of transparency and accountability.

Calls for Transparency

The movement has demanded a full and open review of any discussions taking place within the Finance Ministry regarding palm oil imports, insisting that civil society and relevant stakeholders be consulted before any policy changes are considered. Activists warned that attempts to quietly reverse popular protective measures would not go unchallenged and pledged to mount a vigorous public campaign if the government moved in that direction.

The Finance Ministry had not issued an official response to the allegations at the time of reporting.