Aug 22, Colombo: Cooperatives and Internal Trade Minister of Sri Lanka Johnston Fernando says the government could further increase the price of wheat flour if such a need arises.

The Minister has said that taxes have been imposed on wheat flour in order to discourage the wheat flour consumption in the country.

Responding to a query by United National Party (UNP) parliamentarian Ravi Karunanayaka in parliament, Fernando has pointed out that the country's wheat flour consumption that stood at 139,738.13 metric tons from 2006 to 2009 has increased to 169,347.65 metric tons in 2009 to 2010.

Also, the per capita wheat flour consumption that was 7.01 kg in 2006-2009 has increased to 8.24 kg in 2009-2010.

According to Customs' statistics, the country has imported 780,048,492 kilos of wheat grains in 2011 at a cost of Rs. 29,162,637,008.

Also, 29,235,961 kilos of wheat flour had been imported the same year at a cost of Rs. 1,474,252,063.

Fernando has observed that an import tax of 15% of the trade value or Rs. 15 a kilo is charged for wheat flour.

He has added that there were five per cent harbor and airport development tax, a two per cent nation building tax, and a Cess of Rs. 20 per kilo imposed on every kilo of imported wheat flour.