Colombo (LNW): Former Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake has indicated a potential lift on the ban imposed by former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2021 on the cultivation of palm oil.
The ban extended to both imports and local cultivation.
Following a meeting with the association of palm oil growers, Karunanayake acknowledged the adverse impact on livelihoods and suggested that the ban could be lifted after consulting experts in the field.
The growers argued that palm oil cultivation has significant economic potential, generating more foreign exchange revenue than tea and rubber combined.
Karunanayake pledged to discuss the matter with President Ranil Wickremesinghe, aiming for a ban lift in January.
