News
Food waste triples prices
Nearly one third of agri produce lost before reaching dining table
A leading food scientist has warned that massive postharvest losses in Sri Lanka’s agricultural supply chain are causing produce prices to nearly triple, with consumers ultimately bearing the burden of inefficiencies and waste from farm to market.
Delivering a presentation titled ‘Food Waste & Contamination’ at the Science Forum on Food Security held at the National Science Foundation (NSF) auditorium in Colombo, Emeritus Professor KKDS Ranaweera said nearly half of agricultural produce is lost before reaching the dining table.
Prof. Ranaweera described the country’s food distribution network as a “bleeding supply chain”, where losses at every stage of transport, storage and retail progressively inflate prices for consumers.
Illustrating the issue through a hypothetical 100kg harvest, he explained that produce initially valued at Rs. 100 per kilo at the farm gate, representing an investment of Rs. 10,000, undergoes sharp price escalations as quantities diminish along the supply chain.
According to the analysis presented, by the time the produce reaches the first vendor, a 20% loss has already occurred, reducing the quantity to 80kg and increasing the price to Rs. 125 per kilo. At the second stage, a further 12.5% loss, equivalent to 10kg, reduces the volume to 70kg, pushing the price up to Rs. 171.43 per kilo. Another 14.3% loss at the third stage leaves only 60kg of the original harvest, while the retail price climbs to Rs. 283.33 per kilo.
Prof. Ranaweera said consumers eventually pay Rs. 283.33 per kilo at the retail level. He added that the actual economic burden is even greater because households themselves discard approximately 10% of purchased food. Taking this wastage into account, the effective cost of usable food rises to Rs. 314.81 per kilo, representing an additional Rs. 28.33 loss to the consumer due to waste.
“The nearly three-fold escalation caused by postharvest losses ultimately falls upon the consumer,” he said, stressing that postharvest waste represented not merely a logistical shortcoming but a direct economic blow to the public.
Citing government statistics, Prof. Ranaweera said that 19% of vegetables, equivalent to 221,955 metric tonnes, and 21% of fruits, amounting to 290,151 metric tonnes, are wasted annually due to poor harvesting techniques, unsuitable transportation methods, improper handling, delays and inadequate cold storage facilities.
The forum, organised under the purview of the Ministry of Science and Technology, brought together food science experts, academics and media representatives to discuss the country’s worsening food security challenges.
Presentations were also delivered by Emeritus Professor Buddhi Marambe, Prof. Renuka Silva and Dr Hiranya Jayawickrema. NSF Chairman Dr Sudath Samaraweera and Director General Prof. Shiromi Perera were also present.
The Jana Aragala Sandhanaya yesterday lodged a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), calling for an investigation into Deputy Minister Sundaralingam Pradeep over alleged irregularities related to a Guinness World Record event held in Sri Lanka.
The organisation alleged that state patronage had been extended to a private company for the event and that large sums of money had been collected from around 5,000 families of participating students.
Speaking to the media, after submitting the complaint, Jana Aragala Sandhanaya National Executive Council member and Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) Secretary, Duminda Nagamuwa, alleged that the government had promoted the Bharatanatyam workshop, held on June 14, as an event that secured a Guinness World Record for the participation of the largest number of students.
He said a government politician had taken the lead in organising the event, attended by Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe.
Nagamuwa questioned the decision to provide state support for an event organised by a private entity, claiming that the Guinness certificate issued for the achievement had been awarded not to Sri Lanka or a state institution, but to a company.
“Why did the government provide state patronage to a private institution’s programme?” he asked.
He alleged that each of the approximately 5,000 participating students had paid Rs. 5,000, resulting in the collection of a substantial amount of money. He claimed that parents were also asked to pay additional amounts of Rs. 3,450 for logos and Rs. 2,350 for certificates.
Nagamuwa alleged that many families, from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, had incurred heavy expenses travelling to Colombo and staying there for several days for the event, with some families spending around Rs. 30,000 each.
News
Opposition MPs sign motion demanding debate on prolonged failure to fill vacancies in superior courts
Opposition MPs yesterday signed a motion demanding an adjournment debate in Parliament on the prolonged failure to fill vacancies in Sri Lanka’s superior courts.
The motion, submitted under Standing Order 83(1), calls for a debate on the implications of leaving more than eight vacancies in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal unfilled for over six months.
The Opposition said the proposed debate would examine the impact of the vacancies on the administration of justice, the rule of law, the protection of fundamental rights and public access to justice, while urging the authorities to expedite appointments to the vacant posts.
The motion, bearing the signatures of Opposition MPs, is to be forwarded to Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, for approval, to schedule the debate.
Suranga Sanjeewa Karunaratne, alias ‘Matiya’, an alleged underworld gunman linked to organised crime figure Kehelbaddara Padme, was arrested on arrival at the Bandaranaike International Airport in the early hours yesterday.
Police said the suspect, a resident of Kotugoda, Yagodamulla, had been detained by Malaysian authorities and deported to Sri Lanka. Officers of the CID took him into custody upon his arrival.
Investigators said an Interpol Red Notice had been issued against the suspect.
Karunaratne is wanted in connection with the fatal shooting, near the Gampaha Magistrate’s Court, in July, 2022, in which alleged organised criminal ‘Paspodda’ was killed and several others sustained injuries.
Following preliminary questioning by the CID, the suspect was handed over to the Western Province North Crimes Division for further investigations. Police said a 72-hour detention order had been obtained to facilitate further inquiries.
by Norman Palihawadane ✍️
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