Author: TELO Admin

Despite forecasts predicting a decrease in vegetable prices after the festive season, the actual prices have remained high. Most vegetable varieties are now priced at over Rs. 1,000 per kilo, with carrots and beans reaching the highest levels, surpassing Rs. 1,200 per kilo.

Yesterday, the country witnessed its highest recorded vegetable price, with a kilo of carrots reaching Rs. 1,400 at the New Manning Market in Peliyagoda.

The escalating prices have led to a decline in vegetable consumption, as many consumers express their inability to afford them at these prices.

People report that the prices of nearly all vegetable varieties have increased, creating significant financial challenges for consumers.

The current market prices reveal that beans are priced at Rs. 1,000 per kilo. However, there have been fluctuations in the prices of other vegetables, with green chillies and tomatoes decreasing to Rs. 800 and Rs. 350 per kilo respectively. On the other hand, the cost of lime has seen an increase, reaching Rs. 500 per kilo.

Meanwhile, the business community running tourist hotels and guest houses across the country expressed concern about the high prices of vegetables that has affected the industry.

Traders in Nuwara Eliya’s Dedicated Economic Centre said the prices of vegetables had sky rocketed and that it resulted in a sharp drop in purchases. They pointed out that the price of carrot was Rs.2000 a kilo, cabbage Rs.680, leeks Rs. 500, capsicum Rs.650, tomatoes Rs. 800, beetroot, Rs.500, broccoli, a variety in demand among foreign tourists, Rs.3600, basil Rs. 2600, cauliflower Rs.,1300.

Meanwhile many customers said it is with great difficulty that they manage to have one vegetable curry for a meal. They pointed out that the price hike in the retail market was unprecedented and that the vegetables available were of poor quality.

The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) has arrested five Chinese loan-sharks in Dehiwala.

The Police said that a Sri Lankan was also arrested from the loan center operated in Dehiwala.

According to the Police, the loan-sharks had provided loans to people and later held them to ransom to get the money back with interest.

The Cyber Crimes Investigations Division of the CID conducted an operation based on a complaint received and arrested the suspects.

The Police also seized 8 desktop computers, 13 laptops, and 41 mobile phones.

A team of senior IMF officials overseeing Sri Lanka’s bailout programme has toured the Tamil-dominated Northern district of Jaffna for the first time under the current USD 2.9 billion agreement, officials said on Monday.

Led by Peter Brueur, the International Monetary Fund senior mission chief for Sri Lanka, the team last week met with the Governor of the Northern province, PMS Charles, and other senior officials and discussed issues related to economic growth in the province, demining programmes, resettlement of conflict-displaced individuals and compensation for conflict victims.

They also discussed the educational matters related to Jaffna University, post-COVID operations, and the adverse effects of climate change on the northern region, the officials said.

The team, which returned to Colombo on Monday, is scheduled to engage with the finance ministry. Talks are expected with Shehan Semasinghe, the state minister of finance, who leads the local IMF engagement under President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The discussions in Colombo are anticipated to focus on the targets outlined in the current IMF programme, which advocates large scale economic reforms in the island nation.

In a meeting with President Wickremesinghe on Thursday last, Brueur had expressed satisfaction with Sri Lanka’s progress in implementing reforms aimed at revitalising the economy.

The global lender had commended Sri Lanka for its advancements in policy-oriented variables and fiscal consolidation.

Sri Lanka, which declared its first-ever debt default in April 2022, had secured an IMF bailout agreement of USD 2.9 billion over four years by the last quarter of 2022.

The first tranche of USD 1.5 billion was released in March 2023, with the second installment of USD 337 million arriving in December 2023 following the first review.

Source: PTI

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sent a “huge thank you” to British Tamils in a message released to mark Thai Pongal today, stating the community has made an “amazing contribution” to the country.

“Let me first say a huge thank you to British Tamils for the amazing contribution you make in the NHS, education, science, business, public service,” said Sunak in a video message released this morning.

“And as we look ahead, let me also renew my commitment to building a better, brighter future for everyone.”

British politicians from across the country have released messages to mark Thai Pongal today, including Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer who said it was “also a time for us to remember the sacrifices made by the Tamil people for self determination, peace and justice in Sri Lanka”.