- Rice, Kottu and black tea reduced
- Decision of bakery owners pending
Following the reduction of domestic liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder prices by both Litro Gas Lanka Limited and Laugfs Gas PLC, the All Ceylon Canteen Owners' Association (ACCOA) has decided to reduce the prices of canteen food by 20%, with effect from yesterday (5) midnight.
Speaking to The Daily Morning, ACCOA President, Asela Sampath said that the prices of all canteen food including rice and curry lunch packets, fried rice and kottu will be reduced by 20% with effect from yesterday midnight. "When the electricity tariffs were raised in February, we raised the prices of canteen food by 10%. As the gas prices have been reduced now, we decided to reduce the prices and give its benefit to the consumers," he said.
Moreover, the price of a cup of plain tea has been reduced to Rs. 30; however, the price of a cup of milk tea remains unchanged at Rs. 90.
Meanwhile, the President of the All Ceylon Bakery Owners' Association, N.K. Jayawardana had told the media that no decision has been taken so far regarding the reduction in the prices of bakery products in line with the reduction in gas prices. He said that in a backdrop where only 25% of the bakery owners use gas, a decision concerning the same is to be taken in the coming days.
The leading gas suppliers had slashed the prices of LPG domestic cylinders with effect from midnight on Tuesday (4). The revised Litro Gas prices are: 12.5 kg cylinder – Rs. 3,738 (reduced by Rs. 1,005), 5 kg cylinder – Rs. 1,502 (reduced by Rs. 402), and 2.3 kg cylinder – Rs. 700 (reduced by Rs. 183). Laugfs Gas had also slashed the prices of its domestic LPG cylinders following the price reduction announced by Litro Gas. The revised prices are: 12.5 kg cylinder – Rs. 3,990 (reduced by Rs. 1,290) and 5 kg cylinder – Rs. 1,596 (reduced by Rs. 516).
The ACCOA had decided to raise the prices of lunch packets, fried rice and kottu by 10% following the electricity tariffs being raised by 66% by the Ceylon Electricity Board with effect from 16 February. However, when the LPG domestic cylinder prices were increased in early February, the ACCOA did not increase the prices of food. The ACCOA stated at that time that although the LPG price hikes affect the industry, the corresponding decreases in the prices of several essential commodities such as flour, sugar, rice, big onions, potatoes, dhal, and vegetables would compensate for the price increase in LPG.