By Susitha Fernando

Colombo, Feb 26 (IANS): Despite protests by local egg producers and concerns over bird flu raised by health officials, Sri Lanka is to import 2 million eggs from India this week.

Procured by Sri Lanka State Trading (General) Corporation, all imported eggs are to be issued for bakery industry at a control price of Rs 40.

State Trading Corporation (STC) General Manager Chamila Iddamalgoda told media that

the imported eggs would be sold lower than the existing market price and said in line with a decision taken by the Department of Animal Production and Health (DAPH), the eggs would not be issued for ordinary day to day consumption.

Earlier, the DAPH has objected importing eggs from India and other countries fearing bird flu spread in the island nation.

However All Ceylon Egg Producers Association has protested the Cabinet decision to import eggs claiming that it would affect the domestic eggs industry. The egg producers had claimed that the import should have done several months ago but right now the country is almost self-sufficient with the locally produced eggs.

In January Trade Minister Nalin Fernando announced that the Cabinet has given green light to import eggs from India. The government also has reduced the special commodity levy imposed on imported eggs Rs 50 to Rs 1 for a period of three months.