Ten essential items under price stabilisation

Irangika Range

COLOMBO: The Government has stabilised the wholesale prices of 10 essential commodities, under an agreement reached with the Essential Food Commodities Importers and Traders Association as a measure of providing relief to consumers during the upcoming New Year festival .

Trade, Marketing Development, Co-operative and Consumer Services Minister Bandula Gunawardana said retail prices too are expected to come down with the implementation of this measure.

"If not, the Government would take steps to stabilise the retail prices in terms of the powers vested in it under the Consumer Affairs Authority Act" the Minister said. He said retail prices will be displayed at each Laksathosa branch islandwide to inform consumers about the revised prices.

"Before this there were only four essential commodities - infant milk powder, cement, gas and wheat flour - which prices the merchants could not increase without the sanction of the Consumer Affairs Authority. Now we have raised this to 14 items including dhal, Turkey dhal, white sugar, red onion, big onion, sprats, green gram, gram, dried chilies and potatoes.

Prices of these 14 essential commodities cannot be increased unfairly without the permission of the Consumer Affairs Authority.

Beginning from March, the new wholesale prices came into effect in the Pettah market, Welisara and Dambulla Economic Centres successfully. The measure will continue till April 30.

"Consumers should be educated about the stabilisation of the prices which would help them to bargain.

"Consumers should be knowledgable on their consumers rights and they should be organised as a Consumer Association.

"The Minister said prices of chicken had increased unfairly at the Pettah market. "After we gazetted the item as an essential commodity, the prices of chicken has dropped by Rs. 100".

The above measures were taken by the Committee on Reducing the COL headed by the President, Prime Minister, Finance Ministry , Agriculture Ministry and Trade Marketing Development, Co-operative and Consumer Services.

He said that prices of ten essential commodities will show significant reduction in the open market with the implementation of the agreement for the first time in Sri Lanka.

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Consumers who have complaints following the Government's introduction of price stabilisation measures on 10 essential commodities have been requested to forward such complaints over Tel. Nos. 2445897, 2393577 and 2393495 and Fax number 2399148.