Sri Lanka, June 5 -- The government will be compelled to introduce a Maximum Retail Price (MRP) for salt within the week if attempts to inflate prices continue, Minister of Trade Wasantha Samarasinghe said.

Speaking at a media briefing, Minister Samarasinghe emphasized that the decision to allow salt imports was made solely to address a domestic shortage, not to enable profiteering by importers.

He noted that a kilogram of imported salt costs Rs. 77, inclusive of a 40% government tax. "Let's say it is priced at Rs. 80 per kilo. Then wholesale traders can retain a reasonable profit margin - Rs. 10, 20, or 30 - but not more than that," the Minister stated.

Warning against exploitation of the current shortage, Samarasinghe said, "If impo...