– Lanka Sathosa has announced a reduction in the prices of 18 essential food items with effect from today (10), as part of a government initiative aimed at providing relief to consumers amid rising global prices.

The decision was taken against the backdrop of increasing prices of goods and services in international markets, which authorities attribute to the global economic uncertainty stemming from the conflict in the Middle East.Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development Wasantha Samarasinghe said the government had intervened through Lanka Sathosa’s nationwide retail network to ease the burden on consumers.

He said the government is utilising the state machinery to the fullest extent possible to provide relief to the public, despite the sharp increase in the cost of imported goods.According to the Minister, the Board of Directors and senior management of Lanka Sathosa, led by Chairman Ravindra Fernando, had taken the necessary decisions to reduce the prices of 18 essential commodities sold through Sathosa outlets.The Minister said the revised prices, which will come into effect from tomorrow, are lower than the prevailing wholesale prices in Pettah.

The price reductions apply to a range of essential food items, including large onions, white sugar, lentils, cowpeas, chickpeas, green peas, cashew nuts, wheat flour, red rice, red Nadu rice, samba rice, white Nadu rice and Ponni Samba, among others.