Discussions are underway on a new supply chain strategy aimed at improving transportation efficiency and reducing the cost of essential goods across the country, Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, and Food Security R.M. Jayawardana told The Sunday Morning.

Highlighting transportation as a key challenge in the production and distribution of essential food items, Jayawardana said high transport costs for both imported and locally produced goods remained a major obstacle to reducing prices and easing the burden on consumers.

“One of the key difficulties in lowering prices is the cost incurred in transporting goods,” he said, adding that several initiatives were currently being discussed to address the issue.

Among the proposals under consideration are plans to import and distribute goods through Lanka Sathosa, the establishment of a Port City-based cooperative network, and the expansion of the existing Sathosa and cooperative distribution network.

Jayawardana noted that while immediate price reductions were unlikely, the objective was to reduce inflation and stabilise prices over time. “For the average consumer to afford essential goods with the income they earn, the current supply chain needs to be changed,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank’s Daily Price Report shows that prices of vegetables, including cabbage, tomato, pumpkin, and green chilli, have increased by more than 5% compared to the previous day at the Pettah and Dambulla markets.

Discussions on initiatives to revitalise the food supply chain are ongoing.