The Ministry of Economic Affairs has issued a list of items that the State Trading Organisation (STO) will import as basic commodities.

The list released on Sunday includes 10 fruits, 10 vegetables and three other food items. STO will sell these items for wholesale and retail.

Fruits on the list are banana, apple, orange, lemon, passion fruit, grapes, chilli, watermelon and papaya.

Vegetables on the list are onions, ginger, carrot, garlic, potato, sweet potato, eggplant, spinach, pumpkin and cabbage.

The three other items on the list are chicken eggs, coconut and yellow lentils.

The government decided to import fruits and vegetables due to increasing prices in the local market. Apples were among the most expensive items.

At a press conference, STO CEO Shimad Ibrahim said the government had planned to acquire land overseas for agricultural purposes and import necessary items.