There is a great possibility to believe that the 20% out of the total milk powder imports last year(2013)that were confirmed by the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) as containing DCD Agro Chemical re entered the local market according to the Minister of Technology And Research Champika Ranawake.
Addressing a special media briefing held today(24) at the Industrial Technology institute in Colombo Minister Ranawake has said that the Ice Cream samples collected from the alms giving centers(dansalas) conducted to mark poson festival last June proved that the DCD contained Milk Powder used to make those ice creams.All the seven ice cream samples collected from the alms giving centers in Colombo City have been contained DCD chemical he has stressed.
Out of the total amount of Milk Powder imported by Sri Lanka last year numbering around 80,000 metric tonnes ,20% were contained with DCD Chemical the minister had revealed.Although the ITI had sent the DCD Test Results to the Health Ministry there are no reports on whether the said stock of Milk Powder has been removed from the market else destroying it he has said.Therefor it might re entered the market in form of a Milk Product else as a Milk Powder minister has further added.
While commanding the facilities available in ITI to identify DCD Chemical in Milk Powder the Minister has sympathize over the remarks made by some factions within the Health Sector regarding the tests conducted by ITI on the said Ice Cream samples.Those factions are questioning the way the institute had collected the samples without the help of Public Health Inspectors he has urged.”The ITI has the facilities to identify DCD chemical in Milk Powder and no one can challenge that fact” Minister Ranawake has further said.
Meanwhile Addressing the briefing the Director General of ITI Mr.Premakumara has said that the tests will continue to find whether the Milk Powder and Milk Products in the local market are made from the DCD Contained Milk Powder identified by ITI last year.