Business
Rising food prices are Sri Lankans’ biggest worry
By Sanath Nanayakkare
A middle class mother walked into a grocery shop in Mattegoda yesterday with her two school-going children and asked for two chocolate flavoured milk packets, one packet of Tipi Tip, a medium sized canned fish and 500g of dhal and paid Rs. 1,559 for the damage without batting an eyelid. It was evident that she was too aware of the latest World Bank assessment which places Sri Lanka at No.5 among countries hardest hit by food price inflation.
As her kids start drinking the milk, she looked around with grave concern and anxiously said,” Will these increasing food prices ever drop? In our country, prices go up but never come down.”
Renuka Samantha Kumara and his wife Nilanthi Kuruppu – the owners of the retail outlet replied, “We can’t give you a straight answer on when food prices will come down, but prices have to come down soon because customers aren’t able to pay high grocery bills and traders also can’t pay suppliers’ eye-popping bill amounts. Customers see stars when they are told how much their bill comes to, and we’re shocked when our suppliers hand us the invoice for stock replenishments. So both consumers and traders are equally left wondering when the prices are going to come down.”
Later the family traders speaking to The Island said, “In our view, food prices have to go down by 40-50% in the near term for low and middle income households if they are to survive. Our customers fall into these two categories and they have no savings to dip into. What they do is cut down, cut down and cut down on their purchases. Our customers from low-income households have almost disappeared. Employees of the State sector and permanent employees of the private sector still have some capacity to buy at least part of what they used to buy before the high inflation hit. Some of them have told us that they can’t do anything else with their money but pay for food and monthly utility bills. Sad to say that daily wage earners who get only 2-3 days of work per week don’t show up to buy anything. We don’t know what they are eating.”
“Today we bought eggs at the price of Rs. 52 each and sell at Rs. 54 with a Rs. 2 margin, so we have to sell 52 eggs to earn the profit to take home two eggs for consumption without losing the capital we invested on eggs. These days customers avoid eggs like the plague because of its all-time high price, so we don’t know how long it will take to sell 52 eggs. Prices of fresh vegetables, fruits and discretional items such as biscuits, ice-cream, soap, toothpaste have hit through the roof and out of reach of the customers. Both consumers and shopkeepers are trading down because of unbearable price points. If there’s another wave of food price hikes due to increased fuel prices, rupee depreciation, supply chain disruptions, or some policy decision on the Pettah Market, consumers won’t be able to patronize our shop at all, and that will deal a great blow to our business. The government says that it will provide relief to low-income earners at the forthcoming budget to cushion against such vulnerabilities. That will be fine as an immediate option, but it will only be a stopgap to the problem. We believe that the real ‘social safety net ‘needs to come through private sector investments, a boom in infrastructure spending and a growing economy that works better for everybody from top to bottom. The government should give the vulnerable sections a fishing rod and not a fish,” they said.
Business
IceWarp expands into Sri Lanka, fostering European innovation in collaboration with FentonsIT
IceWarp, a global leader in business communication solutions, has officially launched its cutting-edge platform in Sri Lanka, bringing European expertise in email and collaboration solutions to support the country’s evolving business landscape.
This expansion is driven by a strategic partnership with Fentons Information Technology (FIT), the Information Technology arm of Hayleys Fentons Limited.
The grand launch event held at The Kingsbury Colombo on 4th April, 2025, was graced by several distinguished guests, including Chief Guest Mohan Pandithage, Chairman and Chief Executive of Hayleys PLC.
The presence of Adam Paclt, Global CEO of IceWarp, and Pramod Sharda, CEO for India and the Middle East of IceWarp, along with their global team, highlighted the significance of this expansion. Industry experts, government officials, corporate leaders, and CIOs from the banking, financial services and insurance sectors were in attendance as well, reflecting strong local interest in IceWarp’s European expertise.
With this launch, Sri Lankan businesses now have access to an affordable, scalable and secure alternative to Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. IceWarp’s advanced Collaboration Suite integrates a wide range of tools into a single, unified platform designed to streamline communication and boost productivity. Offering flexible hybrid deployment options and cost-efficient solution, IceWarp enables organisations to optimise their operations without compromising security or functionality.
Eventistry Sports, a trailblazer in innovative sporting events, has unveiled the Sri Lanka Padel League (SLPL), the nation’s first franchise-based padel tournament, set to debut in June 2025. This groundbreaking league promises to redefine Sri Lanka’s sports landscape by creating a dynamic national platform for athletes while fostering unity among fans, brands, and communities.
The SLPL will showcase six franchise teams, each embodying the spirit of iconic Sri Lankan locales: the Colombo Chargers, Yala Rangers, Hikkaduwa Riders, Ella Hawks, Arugambay Vipers, and Trinco Warriors. These teams will not only ignite regional pride but also unite the country through a shared passion for padel—a fast-paced racquet sport merging tennis and squash, played on enclosed courts.
“The SLPL is more than a league; it’s a movement,” declared Karin Wijeratne, Director of Eventistry Sports. “By blending franchise sports with Sri Lanka’s vibrant culture, we’re creating a platform where players gain national recognition, fans rally behind their hometown heroes, and brands engage with communities in meaningful ways.”
The league’s launch on June 21–23, 2025, at Colombo’s Padel House courts (CR&FC) will kick off with three days of high-octane matches, preceded by a star-studded player auction on May 16th at The Vault, Colombo City Centre. Local talent—both professional and intermediate—will be drafted by franchise owners, with international registrations now open to elevate the competition’s global appeal.
Please log in to: www.slpadelleague.com and social media: @SriLankaPadelLeague (Facebook & Instagram) for more information.
Ceylon Energy and HJT China have successfully completed the Mahiyangana-Kappalthurei 33kV power distribution lines and the Uhana Gantry as part of Sri Lanka’s Supporting Electricity Supply Reliability Improvement Project (SESRIP). Funded by the Asian Development Bank ($42 million), SESRIP aims to expand energy access in underserved regions, including conflict-affected areas and provinces like Uva and North Central.
The project’s infrastructure spans over 270 km of 33kV lines, 13 switching gantries, and 2,372 km of low-voltage extensions.
The projects connect 35,000+ households and improve reliability for 493,000+ consumers; integrates renewables to reduce losses.
The projects’ notable components include: Mahiyangana-Bibila Line: 36 km with 147 steel towers and Kappalthurei-Sixth Mile Post Line: 14 km with 58 towers.
Ceylon Energy Chairman Madushanka Fernando hailed it as a ‘new beginning of a brighter era’, emphasising the project’s role in uplifting rural communities and driving sustainable development.
The initiative underscores Sri Lanka’s commitment to inclusive, reliable energy and climate resilience.
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