• Temporary shortage of big onions being addressed

Amidst widespread public concern over food security following devastating floods, Lanka Sathosa Limited assured consumers that its stocks of essential goods remain sufficient, citing only a temporary shortage of big onions.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Chief Executive Officer of Lanka Sathosa, D.L. Malage asserted the state-owned supermarket chain has secured adequate supplies of most essential items. “We have adequate stocks of almost all essential goods. The only issue is that there is a shortage of big onions. However, it will go away as we are purchasing stocks."  

This assurance comes as repeated concerns over possible food shortages have been raised by the public. The floods have triggered a surge in bulk purchasing from supermarkets, with individuals buying large quantities for both personal consumption and donations for relief efforts.

Meanwhile, the National Consumer Front (NCF) stated recently the Government should immediately begin vegetable and fruit cultivation in areas that were not affected by the recent floods in order to ensure a steady supply of produce during the upcoming Christmas season and the Sinhala and Tamil New Year.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, NCF President Asela Sampath said that it would take a long time for vegetable and fruit supply chains to return to normal because a large extent of cropland has been destroyed due to adverse weather conditions. He added that compensation should be given to farmers who lost their crops, noting that demand for vegetables would rise sharply during the festive months.