• 400 g pack up by Rs. 100, 1 kg pack up by Rs. 250 
• Consumer rights group blames govt. taxation for same; requests local milk powder and milk tea prices to be kept unchanged   

The price of a 400 grams (g) pack of imported milk powder has been increased by Rs. 100, according to the Milk Powder Importers’ Association.

The price of a kilogram (kg) pack of imported milk powder has been increased by Rs. 250 each.

In response to the latest milk powder price hike, consumer rights activists claimed that the high milk powder price is largely a result of the taxes imposed by the Government and that the responsibility concerning the price hike lies largely with the Government. The National Consumers’ Front leader Asela Sampath made this statement during a press briefing held yesterday (10), during which he claimed that a tax of Rs. 700 has been imposed on a kg of milk powder. He opined that the Government’s taxing policies are affecting the general public, including the nutritional aspects of children and the elderly, as milk powder is a widely consumed good. “Instead of placing the blame on companies regarding the milk powder price hike, what needs to happen is removing the tax imposed on milk powder which will decrease the price,” he said. Moreover, Sampath questioned the Trade, Commerce and Food Security Minister as to the exact amount of taxes imposed on a kg of milk powder and why that amount cannot be decreased. 

He further urged local milk powder manufacturers to refrain from increasing locally-manufactured milk powder prices. He further requested restaurant owners to refrain from increasing the prices of milk-tea sold at restaurants to avoid inconveniencing the public.