SHARJAH: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” This axiom stresses the need of consuming the apple for a healthy life thus ensuring one to be away from the physician. The recent increase of the commodity levy on 9 items such as butter, cheese, yogurt and fruits including apple, orange, grapes and importantly date etc. can have a massive ill effect on the health of the whole nation. Particularly, the infants, pregnant mothers, elderly and the patients can adversely be affected as they need all types of nutrients to lead a healthy life or for a survival.
The apple and the dates are two special fruits that are not harvested in Sri Lanka as the geographical and the climatic conditions are not suitable for their cultivation in this isle. They are heavily consumed though the price is expensive. Certainly, the revised commodity tax won’t allow the man in the street or even the wealthy to have a glance at these nutritious fruits. Apple is recommended for patients and others to be had in their daily food consumption. Everyone knows apple juice is a panacea for many diseases.
If heaven drops a date, open your mouth! This proverb of mighty China reiterates the value of the date for a healthy and happy life. Dates are also a unique fruit that helps everyone to get a lot of nourishment. A tax increase of Rs= 200 for a kilo of date is a big blow to the masses. There aren’t any date palms though only a few trees that are grown in Kattankudi. This tiny but power packed fruit is consumed by a large number of Sri Lankans, particularly by Muslims during the Ramdhan (fasting) which is on the horizon. I am pretty sure the energetic Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa who is close to the masses will reconsider his decision to impose the special levy on these two fruits and if possible, for other seven items, will immediately take the steps to scrap the tax. Dear Mr. President, kindly take your interest to get this tax abolished forthwith to ensure a healthy nation which definitely is wealthy. By N.U. Abdul Razzak Udayar
