Appeal to food manufacturers and vendors

The cost of living has reached unprecedented heights, there are in addition shortages of Gas, Sugar, Medicines and Milk powder. Price control, it would appear stood as a sword of Damocles and merchants and Vendors were apprehensive of burdening the consumer with price hikes and its removal has resulted in a spate of increased prices across a wide spectrum of food products from vegetables to every conceivable item of food. Consequently, even restaurants have followed suit and we are undoubtedly facing one of the worst periods in the history of Sri Lanka in respect of living standards. There are several reasons attributed to these increases, the exchange crisis, the shortage of Chemical fertilizer resulting in high vegetable prices, global price hike bringing about increases in price of fuel and milk powder.

However, the consumer is also at the mercy of unscrupulous vendors who create artificial shortages by hoarding and also joining the band wagon, so to speak, by trying to make a fast buck by indiscriminately increasing prices. This is an appeal to all those involved in the production and distribution of food to ease this heavy burden which the consumer is saddled with and stop indiscriminately increasing prices without reason. Most consumers do their weekly shopping for essentials are astounded at the spike of their bill which has reached over 35%!

A concerned citizen

There are several reasons attributed to these increases, the exchange crisis, the shortage of Chemical fertilizer resulting in high vegetable prices, global price hike bringing about increases in prices of fuel and milk powder.