When MasterChef Sri Lanka began looking for an Official Poultry Supplier for its debut season, the answer was not a difficult one. New Anthoney’s Farms, the only producer in the country to raise chicken without antibiotics at any stage of production, was the natural choice for a competition that is, at its core, about the integrity of what goes on the plate.

The partnership makes sense on multiple levels. MasterChef Sri Lanka is a platform designed to celebrate the best of what Sri Lankan cooking can be. New Anthoney’s Farms has spent 40 years building the case that the best Sri Lankan cooking starts with the best ingredients, and that means chicken raised with no antibiotics, no shortcuts, and complete transparency from hatchery to household.

As the show’s contestants push their creativity in the kitchen, they will be doing so with chicken produce that meets the highest standard of independent verification. In January 2026, New Anthoney’s Farms formalised that commitment through a landmark five-year Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Peradeniya, not because they had to, but because giving Sri Lankan families the safest possible chicken has always been the founding principle of the business.

Under the agreement, the ISO/IEC 17025-accredited Food Safety and Quality Assurance Laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science conducts systematic testing at every stage of broiler production, making New Anthoney’s the first and only poultry producer in Sri Lanka to back its claims with ongoing, independent scientific proof.

“We’ve always believed that Sri Lanka is an island full of culinary talent that the world is yet to see. MasterChef Sri Lanka is exactly the platform that talent deserves. For us, being part of this is not just a sponsorship. It is a statement about what Sri Lankan food can be when it starts with the right produce,” said Eranga Kurukulaarachchi, Executive Director and Business Development Manager, New Anthoney’s Farms

The timing carries weight. New Anthoney’s Farms is currently in the middle of its 40th anniversary year, having been founded in 1986 by Chairman Emil Stanley and Directress S.M.D. Marie Seetha Lakshmee. What began as a straightforward commitment to give local families better chicken has evolved into one of Sri Lanka’s most certified poultry operation, holding FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, HACCP, GMP, and local and international Halal certifications, and the only poultry company in the country with a GHG Verification Statement under ISO 14064-1:2018, certified by Control Union Netherlands. The company was also named Best Exporter in the Processed Food Category at the 26th Presidential Export Awards.

The brand’s decision to take on a sponsorship of this scale also reflects a deliberate shift in how it communicates its public health mission. New Anthoney’s Farms has led Sri Lanka’s conversation on antimicrobial resistance in recent years. MasterChef Sri Lanka brings that same message to a far wider audience, embedding the idea of safe, quality produce into the country’s most watched food content.

The MasterChef partnership also arrives alongside the company’s most significant expansion into professional kitchens. In November 2025, New Anthoney’s Farms launched Chicken Havens, a premium eight-product range developed specifically for the HORECA sector. The range was built from the ground up to meet the demands of high-volume professional kitchen environments such as portion consistency, prep-ready formats, and the flexibility that executive chefs and catering operations require, while carrying the same zero-antibiotic, fully certified quality standard that defines the brand. With aggressive scaling planned through the first half of 2026, Chicken Havens positions New Anthoney’s Farms as a serious player not just in retail but across Sri Lanka’s fast-growing food service industry.

Across its broader portfolio, the company operates the flagship HarithaHari antibiotic-free chicken range, which features Sri Lanka’s first fully compostable poultry packaging; Crizzpys, the country’s first ready-to-eat frozen crispy chicken brand; Meatlery, its chain of luxury meat retail outlets; and Dorakadapaliya, a free island-wide home delivery service. As New Anthoney’s Farms enters its fifth decade, the MasterChef Sri Lanka partnership is perhaps the clearest expression yet of what the brand has always stood for and that Sri Lankan families, and Sri Lankan chefs, deserve nothing less than the best.

We commend the Government’s decisive move to revise fuel prices mid-month without prior notice. This action protected consumers from artificial scarcity and market manipulation. By breaking the traditional end of month cycle, the Government removed incentives for hoarding by both consumers and retailers. Had the Government waited until April 1st, 2026, fuel stations and bulk buyers would likely have restricted supply to profit from selling cheap stock at higher revised rates. This intervention ensures fuel remains a public utility rather than a tool for private profiteering during a global crisis.

These immediate implementations serve as a shield for national resource management by reflecting global costs to ration scarce foreign exchange and fuel reserves. When resources become expensive globally, the most efficient way to prevent depletion is by rationing through price rather than queues. Furthermore, these market-reflective prices incentivize the adoption of substitutes. Delaying these hikes would have encouraged wasteful consumption of fuel the country can no longer afford to replace at previous prices. Conversely, market reflective pricing incentivizes citizens to travel only when necessary and to transition toward a green economy.

Because prices act as a signal wrapped in an incentive, keeping them artificially low sends a false message of abundance, leading to waste. Furthermore, cost reflective pricing is an economic necessity. Blanket fuel subsidies disproportionately benefit the wealthy, who consume approximately 70 percent of the country’s fuel despite being only 30 percent of the population. Correct pricing and VAT (Value Added Tax) collection generate higher tax revenue that can be funneled directly to the poor, creating a more equitable and resilient Sri Lanka.

Fuel accounts for a staggering 15 percent of Sri Lanka’s current account outflows. The outdated monthly revision cycle is a relic that fosters a gambling environment where panic buying and hoarding are common. We urge the Government to adopt a system of weekly adjustments, an interim step toward daily pricing similar to regional neighbors like India. Gradual adjustments spread economic pressure and prevent the sudden shocks that disrupt industries.

We further commend the Government’s consistent application of these principles to the LPG sector. Immediate adjustments prevent supply shortages and ensure the financial viability of providers like Litro Gas. While a bitter pill, this reflects a mature energy policy prioritizing long-term security over short-term political gain.

However, we call for greater institutional transparency regarding the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation’s (CPC) pricing. Given that fuel has a significant impact on the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI), transparency must be a mandate. In an oligopolistic market where the CPC is the leader, the public has a right to an audited breakdown of the formula. This ensures that price hikes truly reflect global costs rather than masking internal inefficiencies or a lack of cost control.

Escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East involving Iran are beginning to raise concerns here, with analysts warning that the fallout could affect not only the island’s tourism industry but also its energy sector.

Tourism stakeholders say the first signs of a slowdown in visitor arrivals have begun to emerge as airlines and travel operators adjust to disruptions across key Middle Eastern aviation corridors.

According to Harsha Suriyapperuma, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority, the current tensions could temporarily influence travel flows mainly due to disruptions affecting major transit hubs in the Gulf region.

A significant share of travellers heading to Sri Lanka from Europe and other long-haul destinations transit through aviation hubs such as Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi.

Industry analysts say that when geopolitical tensions escalate in the Middle East, airlines often revise flight paths, cancel services or adjust schedules due to security concerns and airspace restrictions, which can slow tourism flows to destinations like Sri Lanka.

According to a Tourism industry leader, global travel demand is highly sensitive to geopolitical developments affecting major aviation corridors.

He noted that disruptions to Middle Eastern airspace could result in longer travel routes, higher airline operating costs and increased airfares, which may influence the travel decisions of tourists planning long-haul holidays.

At the same time, economists and energy analysts warn that the conflict could also create ripple effects in global energy markets.

Sri Lanka is heavily dependent on imported fuel, and any instability in the Middle East — particularly involving a major oil producer like Iran — could push global crude oil prices upward.

Energy sector sources said rising oil prices would increase the cost of fuel imports and place additional pressure on the country’s foreign exchange reserves.

Higher global oil prices could also raise operational costs in the power generation sector, particularly for thermal power plants operated by the Ceylon Electricity Board, which relies on fuel and coal imports to meet electricity demand.

Analysts say increased fuel costs could eventually translate into higher electricity generation costs and additional financial pressure on the national power utility.

The tourism sector had entered 2026 on a strong recovery trajectory after attracting more than two million visitors last year, with authorities targeting three million arrivals this year.

However, industry experts caution that prolonged geopolitical instability in the Middle East could slow the momentum of Sri Lanka’s tourism recovery while simultaneously creating new challenges for the country’s energy sector.

Despite these emerging risks, officials remain cautiously optimistic that the impact will be temporary if tensions in the region stabilise in the coming weeks.

They stress that Sri Lanka continues to be viewed internationally as a safe and attractive destination, while authorities are closely monitoring developments in global energy markets and aviation networks.

By Ifham Nizam