Rs 75 Sathosa nuts promise rings hollow amid runaway prices, shortages
Importers', consumers' woes continue as cost of living, inflation rate keep rising and rising
Prices that Sri Lankans pay at grocery stores and wet markets for their essentials such as rice, lentils, vegetables, and milk powder are galloping away every week.
In January, consumer prices jumped by a double-digit rate, following a heady rise in December and in November.
Inflation accelerated to 14.2% in January from 12.1% in December 2021.
The prices of food have jumped by 25% compared with 22.1% in December, data from the government statistics office show.
Rice, fresh fruit, milk powder, and bread cost more in tandem with rising prices of fuel, bus fares, housing, water, electricity, cooking gas.
Importers of commodities, however, blame the shortage of hard currency.
A spokesperson for the food importers association, Nihal Seneviratne told the Sunday Times that the shortage of US dollars has directly affected the price of imports.
He said that importers are forced to pay demurrage to the port and shipping lines due to delays in clearing consignments.
“While the demurrage to the port is paid in rupees, we believe that the shipping line demurrage has to be remitted in dollars to the container owners, even though the importers pay demurrage in rupees.”
Another importer who sought anonymity, explained that as container owners overseas insist that the payments are made in US dollars, local importers are forced to pay extra in view of the fluctuating US dollar rate.
However, Sri Lankans complain that prices of imported as well as local products have soared, while most essential items such as powdered milk are unavailable.
According to statistics from Hector Kobbekaduwa Agrarian Research Center, chilli, which was sold for Rs 860 last Thursday, now costs Rs 876.
The price of imported and local rice varieties exceed Rs 100 a kilo.
A kilo of local samba is sold for Rs 160, while a kilo of nadu is sold for Rs 156. Keeri samba is Rs 212.
Imported ponni samba sells for Rs 118, while imported nadu and white rice is Rs 111 and Rs 100, respectively. The price of imported nadu and white rice has also increased by Rs 2 compared with last Thursday.
A manager of a supermarket told the Sunday Times that prices are rising every week.
Dasith Walamage, a manager of a supermarket in Kiribathgoda, told the Sunday Times that there are shortages of imported items and local products.
He said that the price of imported mysore dhal fluctuates every week.
“Last week, I sold a kilo of dhal for Rs 280, but this week it is Rs 330,” he said.
As for coconuts, Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena told a press conference, that a nut would be sold for Rs 75 via Sathosa.
An agreement has been signed between the ministry and
Coconut Cultivation Board.
Gunawardena said each customer will be allowed to buy just five coconuts.
However, supermarket workers told the Sunday Times that although the minister boasts about selling a big coconut for Rs 75 at government outlets, supermarkets buy wholesale at Rs 78 per nut and is sold at Rs 85.
The Sunday Times found that Rs 75 coconuts are not available at many Sathosa outlets.
A worker at the Sathosa outlet in Hunupitiya, Saliya Chaturanga said that even though there is a rumor that coconut will be sold for Rs 75, there is none.
“We did not receive coconuts. Currently coconuts are out of stock, and even though we get any amount we cannot be sure that we can sell at Rs 75,” he said.
Another employee of a Sathosa outlet in Bambalapitiya said that coconuts are not available most of the time. Nuts sell off within hours of being made available.
The director general of the Coconut Development Authority Ms S.P Withanage told the Sunday Times that there is no agreement with the trade ministry. The ministry had signed agreements with the Coconut Cultivation Board. The general manager of the Coconut Cultivation Board was unavailable for comment.