Sri Lanka’s Finance Ministry has taken measures to purchase 12,000 Metric Tons (MT) of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) as a remedy for the LP gas shortage currently in the market.

A ship with 3,600 MT of LPG reached Colombo on Saturday (02), and another vessel with 3,600 MT will reach Colombo on Tuesday, the Finance Ministry said in a statement.

The purchase was done by Sri Lanka’s state-run Litro Gas PLC.

“The emergency purchases will clear the shortage,” the Finance Ministry said. “People should not have undue fears.”

“A shipment of 6,000 MT each of gas purchased under the usual procurement process and under the emergency procurement will also reach Colombo during the week,” the Finance ministry said.

“The Consumer Protection Authority had raided 40 traders who who were selling gas at higher prices in the black market,” the ministry added.