Prices skyrocket as govt. looks on

By Hiran Seneviratne

Prices of wheat flour, gas, cement, bakery products and food items have increased due to the removal of price control.

The Bakery Owners’ Association said that the price of a loaf of bread would be increased by five rupees, effective from midnight yesterday (11).

Earlier yesterday, Serendib Flour Mills (Pvt.) Ltd., and Prima announced a 10-rupee increase in the price of wheat flour.

The price increases came after the government issued a gazette notice removing the price control.

Market sources said that the price of cement too had increased from yesterday. Accordingly, the price of a 50 Kg bag of cement has been increased by Rs. 93.

On Sunday both Litro Gas and Laugfs Gas PLC increased the price of domestic gas.

Litro Gas said that the price of a 12.5 kg domestic gas cylinder had been increased by Rs. 1,257 and would be sold at Rs. 2,750. It also announced that a 5 kg cylinder had been increased by Rs. 503 and would be sold at Rs. 1,101, while a 2.5 kg cylinder was increased by Rs. 231 and would be sold at Rs. 520.

Following the outrage expressed by the public, Litro Gas yesterday reduced the price of gas by a small margin after its Sunday announcement of a sharp increase.

The company said that the price of a 12.5 Kg domestic LP gas cylinder had been reduced by Rs. 75 and the new reduced price of the 12.5 Kg cylinder would be Rs. 2,675.

Litro also said that the price of a 5 Kg cylinder had been reduced by Rs. 30 and the new price would be Rs. 1,071 while a 2.5 kg cylinder had been reduced by Rs. 14 and the new price would be Rs. 506.

Meanwhile, the Canteen Owners’ Association said it had decided to increase prices of several food items. The price of a packet of rice and curry has been increased by Rs. 10 and the price of a cup of milk tea by Rs. 10.

Price of a 400 g packet of milk powder was increased by 100 rupees. The Milk Powder Importers’ Association said imported milk powder was released to the market at new prices from yesterday.

Accordingly, one kilo of milk powder was released to the market at Rs. 1,195 and a 400g packet at Rs. 480 from, according to the Milk Powder Importers’ Association.