Oct 23, Colombo: The Commercial High Court of Sri Lanka has issued an injunction against a fertilizer Company in Qingdao, China and the company’s agent in Sri Lanka as well as the People’s Bank preventing the company from shipping a consignment of organic fertilizer into the country.

The enjoining order barred People's Bank from making any payments under a letter of credit opened on behalf of Qingdao Seawin Biotech Group Co., Ltd. of China. It also barred the Chinese company and its local agent from receiving any payments under the letter of credit.

The petition seeking the enjoining order has been filed by the government owned Ceylon Fertilizer Company Limited under purview of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Under an agreement, the Chinese company aims to ship sterilized organic fertilizer to Sri Lanka, but the company has acknowledged in its shipping instructions that it may contain microorganisms.

Upon examination of the sample sent, the National Plant Quarantine Service confirmed the presence of certain harmful bacteria and other organisms.

It is reported that this consignment is part of a shipment obtained by the Ministry of Agriculture through a tender process of over one billion rupees.

Additional Solicitor General President's Counsel Susantha Balapatabendi, Deputy Solicitor General Nirmalan Wigneswaran and a group of lawyers appeared for Ceylon Fertilizer Company.