As the year-end festival season drew nearer, Sri Lanka’s Consumer Affairs Authority has brought in a new set of Maximum Retail Prices (MRP) for six new essential consumer items on 18 November-and these new prices are to take effect as early as this Friday 20 November. “The new maximum prices are introduced to safeguard consumers from sudden market hikes” stressed Rishad Bathiudeen (Minister of Industry and Commerce) on 18 November.

Minister Bathiudeen confirmed the new prices after being briefed by Industry and Commerce Secretary T. M. K. B. Tennakoon who consulted CAA officials functioning under the Ministry.

“The new maximum prices are introduced to safeguard consumers from sudden market price hikes, especially in the forthcoming festival season. Prices of five essential items have not been changed while Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) have been introduced to six essential items for the first time. Small price increments are introduced to only three other items to prevent massive price hikes (of them) by errant traders” stressed Minister Bathiudeen.
Accordingly, six essential items to which Maximum Retail Prices (MRPs) have been introduced for the first time are Masoor Dhal (MRP Rs 190 per kilo), Potatoes (MRP Rs 145 per kilo), Big Onion (MRP Rs 155 per kilo), Chicken Meat (whole chicken- Without skin-MRP Rs 480 per kilo), Packetted Wheat Flour (MRP Rs 95 per kilo), and Dried Chillies (MRP Rs 355 per kilo). The five essential items whose prices have not been changed and remains the same (as previously gazetted) are un-packetted white sugar (gazetted price, still at Rs 87 per kilo), packetted white sugar (gazetted price still at Rs 95 per kilo), un-packetted wheat flour (gazetted price, still at Rs 87 per kilo), canned fish net weight 425g-drained weight 280g (gazetted price, still at Rs 140), and canned fish net weight 155g-drained weight 105g (gazetted price, still at Rs 70). three other items for which small price increments are introduced are chicken meat whole chicken with skin (increased by Rs 20 from gazetted price of Rs 380 per kilo to Rs 400), imported, unpacketted dried sprats (increased by Rs 25 from gazetted price of Rs 385 per kilo to Rs 410), and imported, packetted dried sprats (increased by Rs 5 from gazetted price of Rs 425 per kilo to Rs 430).

From Left: Industry and Commerce Secretary T. M. K. B. Tennakoon and Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen