Banning carpentry sheds could result in huge price hike in furniture: NMCRP

Furniture had become an essential item for home owners as it is the first item on the agenda after they complete building or moving into their place of abode

The President’s decision to ban carpentry sheds within five years has raised fears that there would be a huge price hike in furniture items in the market, President of the National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection (NMCRP), Ranjith Withanage said.

He said furniture had become an essential item for home owners as it is the first item on the agenda after they complete building or moving into their place of abode. Therefore this begs the question what damage this move by the government could do the furniture industry and to those struggling to supply the demand.

The government should implement a proper forest conservation programme to control deforesting instead of taking adhoc decisions that would hurt many industries that are already struggling to survive.

If the government is looking for a quick solution to this problem we suggest that it scraps the Central Environmental Authority (CEA) as soon as possible. The reason for this is that the CEA had become an authority that is only concerned about making money and maintain silence in the face of deforestation that is taking place on a large scale, he added.