Buddhika de Silva, the convenor of the All Ceylon Traditional Coconut Oil Producers Association, has raised alarming concerns regarding the influx of artificially refined oils being marketed as coconut oil in Sri Lanka. He revealed that approximately 80 billion kilos of harmful oil have entered the market this year, describing it as “poison oil” that poses significant health risks.
During a press conference held on September 30 in Colombo, de Silva claimed that unscrupulous importers are responsible for this situation, accusing them of committing “mass murder” through social genocide. He criticized the government’s decision to impose a VAT of 160 rupees per kilo on locally produced coconut oil while allowing imported synthetic oils to be categorized as essential food items exempt from VAT. This, he argued, unfairly disadvantages local producers.
De Silva is calling for immediate government action to revoke the tax concessions granted to these importers, suggesting a reinstatement of the previous VAT rate of 350 rupees for imported oils. Additionally, he urged the Coconut Development Authority to work with the Consumer Authority and the Health Authority to enforce strict regulations against the importation of toxic oils.
He further alleged that these harmful oils are stored in government tanks in Colombo and hinted at political connections to the oil smuggling operations. De Silva pointed out that there are ongoing legal cases related to the importation of adulterated oils, emphasizing the need for accountability in this critical sector.
