News
Controlled price on chicken removed, varying prices at different outlets
By Chaminda Silva
The Consumer Affairs Authority that had removed the controlled prices on a number of essentials including sugar, dhal, chicken and potatoes must take immediate action to prevent consumers being fleeced by traders at their will, says Ranjith Vithanage, Chairman of the National Movement for Consumer Rights Protection.
He said that the CAA issuing a special gazette notification removed the maximum retail price imposed on several items. The new gazette notification lifted price controls on several consumer goods including chicken, canned fish, dhal and sugar.
In March 2020 the CAA ordered price controls of 430 rupees per kilogram for broiler chicken with skin and 500 rupees for broiler chicken without skin.
“Now the prices are different from one shop to another and the consumers are at the mercy of the sellers. The traders decide the prices and there is no one price for a kilo of chicken,” Withanage said.
“Some consumers complain that fresh chicken prices have soared to around 700 rupees a kilo,” he said.
He said that Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena has stated that sugar and rice would be sold at Sathosa outlets for the consumers only if they make other purchases from the same outlets.
That statement alone is a violation of the provisions of the Consumer Affairs Authority Act, he said.
“According to Section 16 (B) of the Act, goods cannot be sold by imposing conditions. If any one demands that consumers should make other purchases to be entitled to buy rice and sugar from the Sathosa outlets, they should complain on the CAA hotline 1977 because that is illegal,” Withanage said.
Meanwhile, a sales manager of a leading super market chain said that they were selling a kilo of chicken at Rs 690 irrespective of brands.
The Ministry of Industries and Entrepreneurship Development has recommended the establishment of Sri Lankan Standards, i.e. the import testing methodology for imported tires used for passenger cars and pneumatic tires for three-wheelers with the aim of ensuring a fair competitive environment for local
manufactures and ensuring consumer safety and security.
Taking into the said recommendations, “Import and Export (control regulations N0.08 of the 2026)” has been enacted to amend the existing regulations by means of the Extraordinary Gazette Notification No. 2508/27 dated 2026-10-01, prescribing Sri Lanka standard 1212 for the import of passenger types (HS Code 4011.10.90) and Sri Lanka standard 1347 for the import of
pneumatic tires for three – wheeled vehicles (HS Code 4011.90.10).
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to submit the aforementioned regulations to Parliament for approval.
Approval of the Cabinet of Ministers was granted at their meeting held on 02.06.2025 to introduce a new act to promote and providing legal provisions for facilitating the Public Private Joint Enterprises within Sri Lanka as well as the establishment of the National Agency for Public Private Partnership Joint Enterprises.
Accordingly, the Legal Draftsman has formulated the relevant draft bill and the Attorney General has given his clearance to the said draft bill.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the resolution furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to publish the said
draft bill in the government gazette notification and thereby submit it to the Parliament for its concurrence.
Regulation, development and control of indigenous medical sector in Sri Lanka comprised of Ayurvedha, Sidhdha, Unani, Local Therapies are carried out under the provisions of Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Although amendments were made to the act from time to time as per the requirements, the necessity of further amending the Ayurvedha Act has been identified to enable efficiently maintaining all activities of local medical field productively, further formalizing the regulation of the sector, taking actions to providing licenses applicable to export of local medicines, and achieving the progress and sustainable development goals in the local medical sector.
Based on the said factors, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to direct the Legal Draftsman to formulate a draft bill to amend the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961.
Import and Export (Control) Regulations No. 08 of 2026
Draft Bill of the Public Private Partnership Enterprises Act to be gazzetted
Amendment of the Ayurvedha Act No. 31 of 1961
Cabinet nod to amend the Sri Lanka Development Administration Institute Act No. 9 of 1982
Establishment of the National Higher Performance Centre
State patronage for the cremation ceremony of the late deputy prelate (Anu Nayaka Thero) of the Sri Laka Ramangya Maha Nikaya, Gatambe Rajopawanramadhipatha, Siri Chandawimala Wanshalankara, Chandrakeerthi Sri Amarawansha, Sadhdharmawageeshwara, Shasanashobhanna Most Venerable Keppetiyagoda Siriwimalabhidhana Thero
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